Back to School Safety Tips

By Staff, 08/12/18 6:40 PM

The students within our communities will be heading back to school this coming week. Buses will be making frequent stops, parents will be rushing to get the kids to school on time, and kids will be walking our sidewalks and through intersections to get to school. Below are some tips on how to help keep your child safe as they head to school.

Teach your children school bus safety tips. Look both ways before crossing the road to make sure that traffic has stopped from all directions before stepping onto the highway and always wait for the bus to stop and that the bus driver can see you.

While some ride the bus others live close enough to walk to school each day, inform them of crosswalks and teach them to use them instead of walking though a high traffic areas. Also inform them to watch for distracted drivers who may not see them and always look both ways before crossing the road.

Some may be picked up by their parent or guardian, while others carpool. Make sure your child knows daily who will be picking them up at the end of the day. If you are unable to pick up your child and will be sending someone else to pick them up, contact the school to inform your child. Create a secret word between you and your child for if plans change, the person who picks them up must tell the child the secret word in order for the child to go with them.

Parents, it is also important that you communicate with one another so no confusion is made of who is picking up your kids on what day, so you both don’t end up at the school to pick up your child and realize they are not there. When you are driving in the car line waiting to pick up or drop off you children please put your cell phones down, pay attention to your surroundings, and watch for children who may run out in front of you; besides, your child will probably be excited to tell you about their first day of school.

After school make sure that your child is supervised, don’t leave a young child at home alone, if neither parent can be home with the child see if a family member will care for your child until you return from work. Some schools offer an after school program where the students can stay for tutoring and work on homework until the parents can pick them up. If adult supervision is not available, supervise them from a distance. Keep in mind that your child should arrive home at the same nearly to same time each day, have the time memorized and have them contact you when they have arrived, and check in on them frequently and let them know to call you or police in emergency situations.