School Bus Safety Tips

Getting Ready for School
  • Please have your children put everything they carry in a book pack or school bag not to drop things along the way.
  • Have them wear bright, contrasting colors so drivers will more easily see them.
  • Make sure they leave home on time to walk to the bus stop and arrive before the bus is due. Running can be dangerous.
Walking to the Bus Stop
  • Walk your young child to the bus stop and have older children walk in groups. There is safety in numbers; groups are easier for drivers to see.
  • Practice good pedestrian behavior; walk on the sidewalk. If there is no sidewalk, stay out of the street.
  • If you must walk in the street, walk single file, face traffic, and stay as close to the edge of the road as you can.
  • Stop and look left, right, and then left again if you must cross the street. Do the same thing at driveways and alleys. Exaggerate your head turns and narrate your actions, so your child knows you are looking left, right, and left.
Waiting at the Bus Stop
  • Don't let your child play running games or push and shove at the bus stop. It is dangerous near traffic.
  • Make sure your child stands at least 10 feet (5 giant steps) from the road while waiting for the bus. The child will then be out of the way of traffic. Have younger children practice taking 5 giant steps to become familiar with 10 feet.
  • Please have your children at the designated bus stop 10 minutes prior to the bus arrival. 
Getting On and Off the Bus
  • Warn children that if they drop something, they should never pick it up. Instead, they should tell the driver and follow the driver's instructions. If they bend over to pick up a dropped object, the driver might not see them and could be hurt if the driver pulls away from the stop.
  • Remind children to look to the right before they step off the bus. Drivers in a hurry sometimes try to sneak by buses on the right.
  • Teach your children to secure loose drawstrings and other objects that might get caught in the handrail or door of the bus as they are exiting.
  • If you meet your child at the bus stop after school, wait on the side where the child will be dropped off, not across the street. Children can be so excited at seeing you after school that they dash across the street and forget the safety rules.
  • All Pre-K students must have an adult/guardian at the bus entrance door to help get the student on and off the bus. 
Riding the Bus
  • Children should talk quietly, be courteous to the driver and follow the driver's instructions.
  • Children should stay seated during the entire bus ride and keep the aisles clear.
  • Children must wear seat belts if the bus is equipped with them.