Traveling To and From School Safety

When school is in session, hundreds of kids, bikes, cars, and buses will converge around the campuses. Reviewing and sharing these tips can help make the school year safer for everyone.

Walking to School--Pedestrian injuries are the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 5-14. Don’t allow children under the age of 10 to cross the street alone. All children should be encouraged to go to a crosswalk with a crossing guard.

Teach children to recognize and obey traffic signals and pavement markings and to walk, not run, across intersections.

Riding the School Bus--Bus travel is one of the safest ways to travel to and from school, but injuries can occur if safety rules are not followed.

• Have children arrive at the bus stop at least five minutes before the scheduled arrival of the bus. Children should stay out of the street and wait quietly—no horseplay.
• Remind children to remain seated on the bus at all times and not to shout or distract the driver. They should keep their heads and arms inside the bus at all times.
• Wait for the bus to come to a complete stop before getting on or off. Children should be taught that the driver has a "blind spot"—the area about 10 feet in front of the bus—and that they should not walk in front of the bus after getting off.  Always ask the bus driver for help if anything is dropped while entering or exiting the bus.

Riding Bikes to School--Bike riding is a favorite mode of transportation for children, but precautions must be taken to avoid injuries.

• Make sure children wear bike helmets at all times while riding. Head injury is the leading cause of death in bike crashes. Studies show that helmets can reduce the risk of head injury by as much as 85 percent.
• Children should know the rules of the road and that they apply to bicycles. Bike riders ride on the right-hand side of the road in the same direction as other traffic and should use appropriate hand signals when turning.
• Choose the safest route between home and school and practice it with children until they can demonstrate traffic safety awareness.

Driving to School--Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of unintentional injury-related deaths among children ages 14 and under, according to the National SAFE KIDS Campaign. Approximately 75 percent of these crashes occur within 25 miles of home and 60 percent take place on roads with posted speed limits of 40 miles per hour or less.

• All drivers should remember to slow down and watch for school zones and crosswalks. Obey the posted speed limits and instructions from crossing guards.
• Always use safety seats and/or safety belts correctly when driving or riding in a car.
• Be especially vigilant and patient during the first weeks of school and in bad weather when traffic is heaviest and lines are longer to drop off or pick up children at school.