Back to School Safety Tips
Aug 23, 2019
The start of a new school year brings all sorts of excitement....new school supplies, new friends, fun activities....but it can also be a dangerous time of year, especially for young children.
Every day in the U.S. more than 40 kids are hit by a vehicle while walking. That’s more than 15,000 children injured each year.
- Teach kids at an early age to look left, right and left again before crossing the street. Then remind them to continue looking until safely across.
- Teach young kids - and teenagers - to put phones, headphones and devices down when crossing the street.
- Whenver possible, walk on sidewalks or paths and cross at street corners, using traffic signals and crosswalks. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic
as far to the left as possible. - Use your best judgment in allowing children under 10 to cross streets alone. Every child is different, but developmentally, most kids are unable to judge the speed and distance of oncoming cars until age 10.
- Be a good role model. Set a good example by putting your phone, headphones and devices down when walking around cars.
Drivers, please remember these important safety tips:
- Never pass a bus from behind. Cars should never pass a stopped school bus loading and unloading children when the stop sign is extended and its lights are flashing.
- Don’t block crosswalks. When at a stop sign or traffic light be sure to stop behind the marked white line on the road before the crosswalk. When vehicles stop in the crosswalk, it causes pedestrians to go around the vehicle putting them in the path of moving traffic.
- Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks.
- Respect the crossing guard. Most of the time, crossing guards are kids, so be especially careful when driving. Crossing guards are placed at intersections where children are most at risk. If a crossing guard gives you a signal to stop or wait, please follow this instruction.
- Reduce your speed. Always assume there are children present during school hours and obey the posted reduced speed limit signs.
- Don’t drive distracted. Children - and even other vehicles - can be unpredictable. A moment’s delay in reaction time can be the difference between an a near-miss or a deadly collision.
Be Safe....and Have a Happy, Healthy School Year!
