Getting Back to School

For parents the most wonderful time of the year is soon to arrive, back to school! Dusting off the back packs, packing lunch boxes and organizing a busy calendar will be the norm a few reminders are definitely in order.

1. Plan a walking route to school or the bus stop. Choose the most direct way with the fewest street crossings and, if possible, with intersections that have school patrollers.
2. Walk the route with your child beforehand. Tell him or her to stay away from parks, vacant lots, fields and other places where there aren’t many people around.
3. Teach your child never to talk to strangers or accept rides or gifts from strangers. Remember, a stranger is anyone you or your children don’t know well or don’t trust.
4. Be sure your child walks to and from school with a sibling, friend, or neighbor.
5. Teach your kids — whether walking, biking, or riding the bus to school — to obey all traffic signals and signs. Remind them to be extra careful in bad weather.
6. When driving kids, deliver and pick them up as close to the school as possible. Don’t leave until they are in the schoolyard or building
7. If your child bikes to school, make sure he wears a helmet that meets one of the safety standards (U.S. CPSC, Snell, ANSI, ASTM, or Canadian). Research indicates that a helmet can reduce the risk of head injury by up to 85 percent.
8. If your child rides a scooter to school, make sure she wears sturdy shoes, a helmet, kneepads and elbow pads.
9. Teach children to arrive at the bus stop early, stay out of the street, wait for the bus to come to a complete stop before approaching the street, watch for cars and avoid the driver’s blind spot.
10. Remind your children to stay seated at all times and keep their heads and arms inside the bus while riding. When exiting the bus, children should wait until the bus comes to a complete stop, exit from the front using the handrail to avoid falls and cross the street at least 10 feet (or 10 giant steps) in front of the bus.
11. Tell your child not to bend down in front of the bus to tie shoes or pick up objects, as the driver may not see him before starting to move.
12. Be sure that your child knows his or her home phone number and address, your work number, the number of another trusted adult and how to call 911 for emergencies.

Getting back to school reminds all motorists to slow down in school zones. Limit your distractions during the busy school commute to focus your attention on the road ahead. Back to school means that many children will come home while mom and dad are still at work. Ensuring the kids check in, get homework done but more importantly watch out for bad strangers. Getting back to school is a fun time but be safe and welcome back!