School Bus Stop Safety: Top 3 Ways to Avoid Danger

It's September, meaning parents everywhere are now sending their kids to school again. Bus stop safety and school bus safety should be on parents and children's minds.

Bus safety is especially important if your child takes the bus to school every day.

With that in mind, here are some top tips to ensure your child gets to school safely:

Bus Stop Safety Tip #1: Instruct your kids to be careful.

Tell your kids to be aware of their surroundings at the bus stop. Chatting with friends, listening to loud music, and playing with a cell phone can distract. They are also less likely to spot dangerous or suspicious activity near the bus stop.

Bus Stop Safety Tip #2: Consider monitoring your kids at a bus stop.

Parents who have time to spare in the mornings and afternoons might want to consider monitoring their kids at the bus stop. Supervising parents can serve as lookouts to help avoid accidents from speeding cars or other hazards.

Bus Stop Safety Tip #3: Teach your kids proper responses to different situations.

If your child sees a stranger lurking about the bus stop, make sure they know that they should alert an adult supervisor or the bus driver. The same goes for people at bus stops taking photographs, offering rides to other kids, or dropping off unusual looking packages. Students should also be aware of their fellow riders. Make sure that children know that other students shouldn't be bringing dangerous items to school.

Now that school is back in swing, parents should make sure to discuss bus stop safety and school bus safety. Parents want their children to excel at school - but the first step is making it to campus safely.

Related Resources:

• School Bus Stop Security Student Handout (Pupil Transportation Safety Institute)
• Bus Safety: Next Stop, Seat Belts? (FindLaw's Injured)
• Sky Express Bus Driver Charged: Reckless Driving (FindLaw Blotter)