School Bus Safety
Never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.
Teach your student to board the bus only after it has come to a complete stop and the driver or attendant has instructed them to get on.
Kids should board their bus only, never an alternate one.
Make sure your student always stays in clear view of the bus driver and never walks behind the bus.
Getting To School By Car, Bike, On Foot
If a teenager is going to drive to school, parents should mandate that they use seat belts. Drivers should not text or make calls use their cell phone and should avoid eating or drinking while driving.
Some students ride their bike to school. They should always wear a helmet and ride on the right in the same direction as the traffic is going.
When children are walking to school, they should only cross the street at an intersection, and use a route along which the school has placed crossing guards. Parents should walk young children to school, along with children taking new routes or attending new schools, at least for the first week to ensure they know how to get there safely. Arrange for the kids to walk to school with a friend or classmate.
Drivers, slow down!
Drivers should be aware that children are out walking or biking to school and slow down, especially in residential areas and school zones.
Motorists should know what the yellow and red bus signals mean. Yellow flashing lights indicate the bus is getting ready to stop and motorists should slow down and be prepared to stop. Red flashing lights and an extended stop sign indicate the bus is stopped and children are getting on or off.
Motorists must stop when they are behind a bus, meeting the bus or approaching an intersection where a bus is stopped. Motorists following or traveling alongside a school bus must also stop until the red lights have stopped flashing, the stop arm is withdrawn, and all children have reached safety. This includes two and four-lane highways. If physical barriers such as grassy medians, guide rails or concrete median barriers separate oncoming traffic from the bus, motorists in the opposing lanes may proceed without stopping. Do not proceed until all the children have reached a place of safety.
Prepare For Emergencies
Know what the emergency plan is at your child’s school in case a disaster or an unforeseen event occurs. Develop a family emergency plan so everyone will know who to contact and where to go if something happens while children are at school and parents are at work. Details are available at redcross.org/prepare.
Take A First Aid Class
The Red Cross First Aid App provides instant access to information on handling the most common first aid emergencies whether it is before, during or after school.
Download the app for free by searching for ‘American Red Cross’ in your app store or at redcross.org/apps. Learn and practice First Aid and CPR/AED skills by taking a course (redcross.org/takeaclass) so you can help save a life.
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For more information, please visit redcross.org/bayarea or find us on Facebook and Twitter.