Back to School Roadway Safety Tips

Before students head back to school, it is important to brush up on school roadway safety tips. Educating yourself on information like this can be a simple, easy step in saving the life of a child. 

Here are a few conversations to have with your child(ren) before the start of the school year:

• All students should stay in clear view of the bus driver and never walk behind the bus. 
• Students should board the bus only after it has come to a complete stop and the driver or attendant has instructed them to get on. They should only board their bus, never an alternate one. 
• Never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.
• When children are walking to school, they should only cross the street at an intersection and use a route along which the school has placed crossing guards. 

If you or someone you know will be regularly driving in school zones, make sure to share these tips with them:

• Never pass a buss loading or unloading children.
• The area 10 feet around a school bus is the most dangerous for children; stop far enough back to allow them to safely enter and exit the bus. 
• At a stoplight, check to make sure no pedestrians are crossing in your path before you proceed. 
• Do not pass a vehicle that has stopped to allow pedestrians to cross the road. 

For additional school safety information, please visit the links below. 

Roads Around Schools Are Unsafe, Principals Say. Here's What to Do About It (edweek.org)

Ten Safety Tips to Follow as Students Head Back to School (redcross.org)

School Safety - National Safety Council (nsc.org)

Driver Safety Tips When Traveling in a School Zone (aarp.org)