Tips for Parents

Have your children put everything they carry in a backpack so they won’t drop things along the way.

Have them wear bright colors so they will be easily seen by drivers.

Make sure they leave home on time so they can walk to the bus stop and arrive before the bus is due. Running can be dangerous.

Walk your child to the bus stop and have older children walk in groups. There is safety in numbers; groups are easier for to see.

Practice good pedestrian behavior. Walk on the sidewalk; if there is no sidewalk, stay out of the street.

If you must walk in the street, walk single file, face traffic, and stay as close to the edge of the road as you can.

Stop and look left, right and then left again if you must cross the street. Do the same thing at driveways and alleys. Exaggerate your head turns and narrate your actions so your child knows you are looking left, right and left.

Don’t let your child play running games or push and shove at the bus stop.

Make sure your child stands at least 10 feet (five giant steps) from the road while waiting for the bus. The child will then be out of the way of traffic.

Warn children that, if they drop something, they should never pick it up. Instead, they should tell the driver and follow the driver’s instructions. If they bend over to pick up a dropped object, they might not be seen by the driver and could be hurt if the driver pulls away.

Remind children to look to the right before they step off the bus. Drivers in a hurry sometimes try to sneak by buses on the right.

Teach your children to secure loose drawstrings and other objects that may get caught in the handrail or door of the bus as they are exiting.

Give your child a note if you would like for the child to get off at a stop other than the one they are assigned. The driver is not allowed to let a child off at another stop without written permission or a phone call from the parent to the Transportation Department.

If you meet your child at the bus stop after school, wait on the side where the child will be dropped off, not across the street. Children can be so excited at seeing you that they dash across the street and forget the safety rules.

Children should ride quietly, be courteous to the driver and follow the driver’s instructions.

Children should stay seated during the entire bus ride and keep the aisles clear.