Back to school safety tips

It's that time of year again! Let's slow down in school zones, stay off you cell phones and be more aware while driving! Here are some tips for you and your children:

1. Plan a walking route to school or the bus stop. Choose the most direct way with the fewest street crossings and, if possible, with intersections that have crossing guards.

2. Walk the route with your child beforehand. Tell him or her to stay away from parks, vacant lots, fields and other places where there aren’t many people around.

3. Teach your child never to talk to strangers or accept rides or gifts from strangers.

4. Be sure your child walks to and from school with a sibling, friend, or neighbor.

5. Teach your kids — whether walking, biking, or riding the bus to school — to obey all traffic signals, signs and traffic officers. Remind them to be extra careful in bad weather.

6. When driving kids, deliver and pick them up as close to the school as possible.

7. If your child bikes to school, make sure he wears a helmet that meets one of the safety standards

8. If your child rides a scooter to school, make sure she wears sturdy shoes, a helmet, kneepads and elbow pads.

9. Teach children to arrive at the bus stop early, stay out of the street, wait for the bus to come to a complete stop before approaching the street, watch for cars and avoid the driver’s blind spot.

10. Remind your children to stay seated at all times and keep their heads and arms inside the bus while riding. When exiting the bus, children should wait until the bus comes to a complete stop, exit from the front using the handrail to avoid falls and cross the street at least 10 feet (or 10 giant steps) in front of the bus.

11. Tell your child not to bend down in front of the bus to tie shoes or pick up objects, as the driver may not see him before starting to move.

12. Be sure that your child knows his or her home phone number and address, your work number, the number of another trusted adult and how to call 911 for emergencies.

13. Check the playground equipment at your child’s school.

14. Avoid any drawstrings on the hood or around the neck of jackets and sweatshirts.

15. Make sure that the school’s athletic director or a custodian anchors soccer goals into the ground so they won’t tip over and crush a child.

15. Teach children proper playground behavior: no pushing, shoving, or crowding.

16. Give your child some strategies for coping with bullies.

17. Make sure your child’s school has up-to-date information on recalled toys and children’s products.

Enjoy!

Karen