As August is Back to School Safety Month, we at Security Specialists have put together some handy school travel tips that will help you keep your kids safe and secure throughout the school year.
Whether your child walks to school, rides their bike or takes the bus, it’s important to heed these safety precautions, in addition to any pandemic precautions:
Safety tips if your children walk:
- Make sure they walk on the sidewalk facing traffic
- Always have them look in all directions when crossing a street to see if cars are coming
- Instruct them to never walk in front of a parked car
- If there is no sidewalk and your children must walk in the street, instruct them to always walk facing traffic
- Before the school season starts, parents should practice walking the route with their kids, crossing streets at crosswalks when available
- Instruct them not to text or talk on their phone while walking
- Never allow them to walk while using headphones
Safety tips if you child rides a bicycle to school:
- Make sure they always wear a helmet that fits securely
- Teach your kids the rules of cycling including always riding on the right side of the road in a single file as well as coming to a complete stop before crossing a street and walking the bike across
- Make sure they know to watch for opening automobile doors and other hazards
- Have them use hand signals when turning
- It’s also a good idea if they wear bright-colored clothing
Safety tips if your child rides the bus:
- Teach them the proper way to get on and off the bus
- Make sure they always stand six feet away from the curb as the bus approaches
- Always have them buckle their seat belt, if available
- Instruct them to wait for the bus to come to a complete stop before standing to exit
- Inform them not to cross in front of the bus or have them cross the street when they are 12 feet ahead of the bus and in clear view of the bus driver
