Back to School – Kids, School Busses and Safety

As kids across the state return to school, it’s a great time to remind everyone to be aware of safety on the roads.

Kids on the Sidewalks

Kids as young as 3^rd grade walk to school in any communities around the state.  This means they are frequently shorter than the cars that pass by them and can be hard to see. They also may have a hard time seeing traffic, requiring them to step into the road to look for cars.  Be alert at intersections near schools.  Watch for bobbing heads and back packs.  Remember, you are required to yield the right of way to pedestrians in crosswalks!

School Busses

School Bus pickup and dropoff can be dangerous times.  Kids may not pay attention to cross traffic as they run across the street to catch their bus.  When dropped off, they may disregard traffic as they dash home.  One serious source of injury are children who cross in front of a bus that is letting them off – they are too small to be seen by the driver.  Tragically, these children can be run over by the bus driver who just let them off.  Teach your children NOT to cross in front of the bus.  Be sure they have the OK of the driver to proceed.  Encourage your community to have safety arms on the front of their busses to prevent kids from crossing too close to the bus and to use them.

We may be sad to see the summer end, but we should encourage everyone to keep alert as kids get back to school and to keep safe on the roads!