School Bus Safety Tips to Discuss With Your Child

As you prepare your child for the upcoming school year, don’t forget to cover safe behavior regarding bus travel to and from school. After all, the first step to a great day of learning is arriving to school safely! This post covers tips you can use to get the conversation started.

Getting On the School Bus

• When waiting for the bus, stay away from traffic and avoid roughhousing or other behavior that can lead to carelessness. Do not stray onto streets or private property.
• Line up away from the street or road as the school bus approaches.
• Wait until the bus has stopped and the door opens before stepping onto the roadway.

Behavior On the School Bus

• When on the bus, find a seat and sit down. Loud talking or other noise can distract the bus driver.
• Never put your head, arms or hands out of the window.
• Keep aisles clear — books or bags are tripping hazards and can block the way in an emergency.
• Before you reach your stop, get ready to leave by getting your books and belongings together.
• Wait for the bus to stop completely before getting up from your seat. Then walk to the front door and exit.

Getting Off the School Bus

• If you have to cross the street in front of the bus, walk at least ten feet ahead of the bus along the side of the road, until you can turn around and see the driver.
• Make sure that the driver can see you.
• Wait for a signal from the driver before beginning to cross.
• When the driver signals, walk across the road, keeping an eye out for sudden traffic changes.
• Stay away from the bus’ rear wheels at all times.

Crossing the Street

• Children should always stop at the curb or the edge of the road and look left, then right, and then left again before crossing.
• They should continue looking in this manner until they are safely across.
• If their vision is blocked by a parked car or other obstacle, they should move out to where drivers can see them and they can see other vehicles — then stop, and look left-right-left again.

After discussing these safety tips, practice looking for cars before crossing lanes while walking with your child through parking lots. If it will be their first year riding the bus, ask them questions about what they are concerned about. Prepare them for making decisions alone in regards to crossing the street and interacting with other students on the bus.

Remind your child that safety comes first when traveling on the school bus, and we will continue to work together to make this a great, safe, school year!