Students are headed back to the classroom and keeping them safe should always be top-of-mind.

Stop for school buses

Many students rely on school buses to get them to and from school safely.

Did You Know: School buses are the most regulated vehicles on the road; they’re designed to be safer than passenger vehicles in preventing crashes and injuries; and in every state, stop-arm laws exist to protect children from other motorists.

If you are driving, remember these simple rules:

• Yellow flashing lights indicate the bus is preparing to stop to load or unload children. You should slow down and prepare to stop your vehicle.
• Red flashing lights and extended stop arms indicate the bus has stopped and children are getting on or off. You must stop your car and wait until the red lights stop flashing, the extended stop-arm is withdrawn, and the bus begins moving, before you can start driving again.
• Even when lights aren’t flashing, watch for children, particularly in the morning or mid-afternoon, around school arrival and dismissal times. Be alert as you back out of a driveway, or drive through a neighborhood, school zone or bus stop.

Parents - talk bus safety with your children:

Your child should arrive at the bus stop at least 5 minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive. Teach them to play it SAFE:

• Stay at least ten feet — five giant steps — away from the curb.
• Always wait until the bus comes to a complete stop and the bus driver signals for you to board.
• Face forward after finding a seat on the bus.
• Exit the bus after it stops and look left-right-left for cars before crossing a street.

Learn more about school bus safety.

Staying safe on two wheels

As the public health emergency continues, many people have turned to bicycle riding as fun way to get out and exercise, or have taken the opportunity to teach their children to ride a bike. Bicycles can also be an easy and quick way to travel to school. Be sure to do these simple things to keep your bike ride safe:

• Always wear a correctly fitted helmet, and securely fasten the chin strap.
• Ride in the same direction as traffic, and follow traffic signs and signals.
• Stay in the bike lane whenever possible.
• Never use electronics while riding – they are distracting.

Learn more about bicycle safety.

Watch the road

Virtual learning, in-person instruction, or somewhere in between – it’s likely you or your child will be a pedestrian at some point in the day. Remind them to:

• Use the sidewalk whenever possible, and if there isn’t a sidewalk, walk on the edge of the street facing traffic.
• Whenever they are available, use marked crosswalks to cross the street, and look left-right-left for vehicles or bikes before crossing.
• Make sure you never play, push or shove others when you walk around traffic.
• Everyone should watch the road, not their phones.

If you are driving, especially in a neighborhood, look out for pedestrians at all times, everywhere. Foot traffic is likely to be higher as more families and children are at home.

Learn more about pedestrian safety.

Keep your vehicle locked

Since many families are at home more often during the public health emergency, it’s important to remember to lock all unattended vehicles. Young children can see a car as a playground, and crawl in and get trapped.

Learn more about child vehicular heatstroke prevention.

We recognize this school year will again look different for families, but let’s work hard to keep it safe for everyone. Whether you’re a driver, pedestrian, bicyclist, or bus rider – stay alert and drive safely.