September 21, 2012 | By Greene Broillet & Wheeler
As the school year gets further underway and the daylight hours start to dwindle, it is important to remind your kids of important school bus safety information. School buses are relatively safe, yet 24 kids still die every year in school bus accidents — a little less than half inside buses in crashes and a little more than half in pedestrian accidents.
The greatest risk for injury or death for a child who rides the school bus is not in riding the bus, but approaching or leaving the bus. Children should aim to get to the bus at least five minutes before the bus will be arriving in order not to be running to catch the bus. Children should stand 6 feet away from the curb as the bus approaches and be lined up away from the street. Children should also wait until the bus driver says it is ok before trying to enter the bus.
Remind your children that the bus driver may not be able to see them and they should never walk or run alongside or behind the bus. If a child must walk in front of the bus, they should first walk along the sidewalk at least five giant steps in front of the bus before crossing in front of it. Tell your children to always make sure the bus driver sees them before walking in front of the bus. Children should never try to pick up something they dropped under the bus before asking the driver.