Back to School Safety Tips

Keep Your Children Safe as They Go to School

Bus Riders

Teach your child school bus safety rules and practice with them.

Go to the bus stop with your child to teach them the proper way to get on and off the bus.
Teach your child to stand 6 feet (or three giant steps) away from the curb.
If your child must cross the street in front of the bus, teach him or her to walk on the side of the road until they are 10 feet ahead of the bus; your child and the bus driver should always be able to see each other.

Driving Your Child to School

Stay alert and avoid distracted driving.

Obey school zone speed limits and follow your school's drop-off procedure.
Make eye contact with children who are crossing the street.
Never pass a bus 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.

Walkers

Review your family's walking safety rules and practice walking to school with your child.

Walk on the sidewalk, if one is available; when on a street with no sidewalk, walk facing traffic.
Before you cross the street, stop and look left, right and left again to see if cars are coming.
Make eye contact with drivers before crossing, and always cross streets at crosswalks or intersections.