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For more than 23 million
children nationwide, the first day of school will begin and end with a
ride on a school bus. Will your child
be one of these 23 million? Does he or she know about school bus safety?
Many children do not know, and unfortunately, each year many youngsters
are injured and several killed in school bus related incidents. Just last
year the National Safety Council reported that 26 students were killed
and another 9,000 were injured in accidents involving school buses.
What can you do to protect your child? Children
need to know about the dangers and responsibilities involved with riding
the bus. We need to talk to our children and educate them on bus safety.
Here are some safety tips.
Many students walk to and from the bus stop
every day. This is a huge responsibility and parents should stress this
to their children.
You should always walk at the edge of the
curb or street and look both ways before crossing. If a parked car, a
bush or any other obstacle impairs your vision, move out to where passing
motorists can see you and you can see them. Wait until the traffic has
passed and then cross the street, but keep on the look out for vehicles.
When waiting for the bus, stay on the sidewalk
and as far away from traffic as possible. Be aware of your surroundings
and avoid roughhousing or any careless behavior.
Make a line to get onto the school bus as
the bus approaches, but make sure to stay on the sidewalk until the bus
comes to a
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complete stop and
the driver signals for you to enter the bus.
If you have to cross the street, make sure
you do it in front of the bus. Walk at least ten feet ahead of the bus
along side of the road until you can turn around and see the driver.
Wait for a signal from the driver that the
street is clear, and then cross quickly to the other side. Always stay
away from the rear wheels of the bus. This is a dangerous area because
the bus driver has a limited field of vision and may not see you. Also,
passing motorists may not be able to see you in this area either.
When riding on the bus, students can take
some precautions to ensure their safety.
When leaving the bus, make sure it comes
to a complete stop before you stand to exit. Use the handrails when stepping
on and out of the school bus. When entering the bus, move quickly to an
open seat and sit down. Do not stand up once the bus is in motion and
stay seated until the bus comes to a full and complete stop. Keep your
legs under the seat in front of you, and keep books and bags out of the
aisles. This will avoid tripping hazards and can block the way in case
of an emergency. Also, try to be courteous of the bus driver. Their goal
is to transport you safely to and from school. If children are moving
around and making noise, this can cause a distraction that can lead to
an accident.
If you take the time to talk to your child
about school bus safety, you could prevent a school bus related accident.
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