School Bus Safety Tips

School Bus Safety Tips for Parents and Students

Spring has arrived, along with (mostly) warmer weather. At this time of year, it's natural to want to get outside and have fun. Students still need to be safe and stay alert, however, especially when waiting for the school bus and getting off the bus after school each day.

Students, parents, teachers, administrators, transportation personnel and the public all play important roles in keeping children safe while on or around the school bus.

Please take a moment to review the following safety tips with children to help ensure our students arrive to and from school safely each day:

Get to the school bus stop 10 minutes ahead of the assigned pick-up time, so you won’t have to run across the road to catch the bus.

When waiting for the bus, stay away from traffic. Line up at least five giant steps away from the curb or the roadway to wait for the bus.

Never go near a stranger or a strange car, even if the person seems friendly, offers to give you something, or is asking for help. Always check first with a parent, guardian, or trusted adult before getting into a car with anyone. If a person's behavior makes you scared, uneasy, or upset, seek the help of a trusted adult right away and report the incident.

Never run after the school bus if it has already left the bus stop.

Never push when getting on or off of the school bus.

Always walk at least 10 feet in front of the bus when crossing so that the school bus driver can see you.

Be aware – Cross with Care! Wait until the school bus has stopped all traffic before stepping out onto the road.

When the school bus is moving, always stay in your seat. Never put your head, arms or hands out of the window.

Talk quietly; do not distract your school bus driver.

If your school bus crosses railroad tracks, be calm and quiet so that your driver can listen for a train. Always obey your school bus driver’s instructions, so that he or she can make safe decisions.

Never play with the emergency exits. Backpacks, band instruments, or sports equipment may not block the aisle or emergency exits. If there is an emergency, listen to the driver and follow instructions.

When getting off of the school bus, make sure that all drawstrings and other loose objects are secure so that they don’t get caught on the handrail or the door.

Never cross the street behind the school bus.

If you leave something on the bus or drop something outside of the bus, never go back for it. The driver may not see you and may begin moving the bus.

Follow the same rules about strangers when you get off the bus at your stop at the end of the day.

Source: Some of the tips outlined above were provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

Posted: Thursday, April 30, 2009 4:11 PM