It’s that time of year when parents and children prepare to go back to school. Many of us associate the start of a new school year with traffic and chaos, but no matter how crazy your commute to and from your child’s school may be we know that their safety is a top priority. Here are some tips to make your child’s arrival and departure from school as safe as possible.
Parents or caregivers driving to/from school should:
- Plan ahead and arrive early for drop-off and pick-up
- Slow down; obey all traffic laws and speed limits, both in school zones and in neighborhoods surrounding the school
- Comply with your school’s drop-off and pick-up procedures for the safety of all children around the school
- Stay alert and put down cell phones or anything else that might distract you
- Avoid double parking or stopping on crosswalks to let children out of the car
- Avoid loading or unloading children at locations across the street from the school
- Watch for children walking or bicycling in areas near schools
- Watch for children playing and gathering near bus stops
- Watch for children arriving late for the bus, who may dart into the street without looking
- Watch for children walking or biking to school when backing out of a driveway or leaving a garage
Teaching children, who walk or bike to school, safe behaviors is very important too.
Children walking to/from school should:
- Cross only at crosswalks
- Never walk while texting or talking on the phone
- Never cross the street while using an electronic device
- Never walk with headphones on
- Wear bright clothing to increase visibility
- Always be aware of their surroundings
- Always walk on the sidewalk if there is one available
- Always look left, right, over their shoulder for turning cars and then left again before crossing the street
Children bicycling to/from school should:
- Always wear a bike helmet, no matter how long or short the ride
- Be acquainted with traffic laws and must follow the same rules as motorists
- Know their bike’s capabilities
- Ride on the right in the same direction as traffic and watch for opening car doors and other hazards
- Use hand signals when turning and use extra care at intersections
- Always stop and look left, right, left again and over their shoulder before entering traffic
- Wear bright clothing to increase visibility
