Children must stay alert going back to school

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Wallace Greenwood
  • 56th Fighter Wing Safety Office
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. (AFPN) --  As the end of summer approaches and a new school year begins, students and parents should keep in mind safety concerns associated with going back to school.

For many of the more than 23 million students nationwide, the journey back and forth to school will involve riding on a school bus.

According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, school bus-related incidents killed 164 people and injured an estimated 18,000 people nationwide in 1999. In 2001, 26 students were killed and 9,000 injured in school bus accidents.

Although the numbers have decreased dramatically, there is one common thread that remains: The majority of deaths and injuries sustained by students didn't occur in a crash, but as the pupils were entering and exiting the bus.

Remember these safety tips:

-- Arrive at the bus stop at least five minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive.

-- When waiting for the bus, stay away from traffic and avoid roughhousing or other behavior that can lead to carelessness. Do not stray onto streets, alleys or private property.

-- Line up away from the street or road as the school bus approaches. Wait until the bus has stopped and the door opens before stepping onto the roadway.

-- Use the handrail when stepping onto the bus.

-- If you drop something near the bus, tell the driver before picking it up.

-- Make sure the bus driver knows where passengers are at all times.

-- When on the bus, find a seat and sit down. Never put your head, arms or hands out the window.

-- Keep aisles clear -- books or bags are tripping hazards and can block the way in an emergency.

-- Before reaching a stop, get ready to leave by getting your books and belongings together.

-- At a stop, wait for the bus to stop completely before getting up from your seat. Then, walk to the front door and exit, using the handrail.

-- If you have to cross the street in front of the bus, walk at least 10 feet ahead of the bus along the side of the road, until you are able to turn around and see the driver. Make sure the driver sees you. Wait for a signal from the driver before beginning to cross. When the driver signals, walk across the road, keeping an eye out for sudden traffic changes.

-- Do not cross the center line of the road until the driver has signaled that it is safe to begin walking.

-- Stay away from the bus' rear wheels at all times.

Although drivers of all vehicles are required to stop for a school bus when it is stopped to load or unload passengers, you should not rely on them to do so. Pedestrian injuries are the second leading cause of unintentional death among children ages 5 to 14.

If your children walk instead of ride a bus, follow these tips:

-- Plan the route for them to follow.

-- Review with them the correct way to cross the street.

-- Teach them to always stop at the curb or the edge of the road and look left, then right, and then left again before crossing. They should know to continue looking in this manner until they are safely across.

-- If their vision is blocked by a parked car or other obstacle, they should move out to where drivers can see them and they can see other vehicles. Then they should stop, and look left, right and left again.

-- Try to limit the number of streets your children have to cross and keep the route as simple as possible.

-- Practice the route with your children and have them do it at least once on their own before the first day of school so they feel comfortable.

-- Instruct them to keep away from vacant lots, fields and any other locations that have few people around.

-- Children should not walk alone, especially if they are young. Child predators look for children who are alone. It is much more difficult to deal with a group of children, so they normally do not.

Not only should parents remind children about the inherent risks associated with going to school or coming home safely, they should make a conscious effort to be aware of the small children trying to make it to their destination. (Courtesy of Air Education and Training Command News Service)