Back to School Safety Tips for Students and Drivers

It's crazy how quickly the summer is flying by! The start of August means less than a month before the kids are back in school. In all of your preparations, don't forget one of the most important-- street safety reminders in traveling to and from school. According to the Utah Safety Council, pedestrian injuries are one of the leading causes of unintentional death among 5 to 14 year old children in the nation. Protect your kids by helping them stay street smart!

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Walking and Biking Safety Tips

• Walk your child to school on the first day, taking the safest, most direct route. Make sure children under age 10 walk with an adult or older child
• Teach your kids what traffic signals mean and how to follow them to stay safe
• Remind your kids to look to the left, right, then left again before crossing the street
• Teach your child not to enter the street behind a car or bush. Darting out into the street causes a lot of pedestrian injuries, particularly kids under 9 years of age

School Bus Safety Tips

• Teach your kids to stand on the grass or sidewalk while waiting for the bus and only step off once the bus has stopped
• Look for the bus safety lights before entering or getting off the bus
• Educate your kids about the 10-foot danger zone around the bus where they are not visible to the driver. Taking 8 steps away from the bus will ensure the driver can see you
• Use bus safety belts if they are available
• Stay seated in the bus and avoid yelling, throwing things, or other distractions
• If something falls under or near the bus, tell the driver. Never try to reclaim the item yourself
• Tell your kids to always walk in front of the bus (not behind) where they can be seen

Drivers Safety Tips

• Slow down to 20 mpr in school zones and stay alert, especially in residential neighborhoods
• Pay particular attention to kids that may be crossing at intersections and medians
• Back out of your driveway carefully and slowly
• Avoid distractions in your car, such as changing the radio station or talking on your phone and concentrate on the road

Find additional safety tips including backpack safety, when your child is bullied and developing good homework study habits at AARP: Back to School Tips.

Original Article published on Examiner.com.