Bus Safety Tips for Parents and Children

As we prepare for another year of school, it is a great time to remind children the importance of school bus safety. According to the American School Bus Council, nearly two-thirds of school bus-related fatalities of school-age children occur outside of the school bus and one-third of those children are between the ages of 5 and 7. Teach and remind your students of these safety tips.

• Get to the bus stop early. If a student is running late, this results in hurrying which can lead to accidents.
• Understand the safe distance from the bus is 10 feet from the bus in all directions. Have your student take 5 big steps to estimate 10 feet.
• Explain the importance of waiting at a safe distance until the bus comes to a complete stop before approaching the door. 
• Supervise younger students and those riding the bus for the first time at the bus stop.
• Look both ways AND make eye contact with the bus driver before crossing the street. The child should be able to see the driver when crossing in front of the bus.
• Do not walk behind the bus.
• Let parents know they can report vehicles not obeying school bus signals to local law enforcement.
• Stay in your seat at all times during the bus ride.
• Talk softly and minimize noise to avoid distracting the bus driver during the bus ride.
• Remind parents to drive cautiously around school buses and school bus stops.
• Do not pick up something that has gone under the bus. Communicate with the bus driver regarding the situation and determine if the item can be safely retrieved. Do not attempt to retrieve the item if direct communication with the bus driver has not occurred. There’s no item worth the risk of injury.
• Use the hand rail when climbing onto the bus.

Students cannot rely on every driver obeying the rules of the road and the school bus signals. These safety tips should help keep students safe as we start another school year.

Taken from Taking Care of Business, Volume 22, Number 4, August 2018.  Written by contributor Kevin Miller.