Spotlight On Safety
Summer is ending and students are heading back to school. Life is about to get even more hectic as routines change. Here are some key safety tips to help with the transitioning back to school.
Transportation Safety tips
Walkers: review your families’ walking rules
- Walk on the sidewalk when available; if no sidewalk is available and you have to walk in the street, always walk facing traffic
- Wear reflective clothing especially in the morning/dark hours; never wear dark colored clothing during dark hours
- Cross the street at intersections and crosswalks; look left, right, and left again to check for oncoming vehicles
- Make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of a vehicle
- Be alert and avoid distracted walking (ex. avoid being on your cellphone)
Bike riders: know the rules of the road, teach your child
- Ride in a single file on the right side of the road with traffic
- Come to a complete stop before crossing the street
- Always wear a properly fitted helmet
- Be alert and avoid distracted riding
Bus Riders: know bus safety rules
- Teach your child to stand 6 feet (3 giant steps) from the curb
- Children must cross the street in front of the bus and walk on the side of the road until they are far enough that they can see the bus driver and the bus driver can see them
- Never reach under the bus for dropped items; alert the bus driver and allow them to retrieve the item
Driving: STAY ALERT
- Obey school zones at all times
- NO CELL PHONES IN SCHOOL ZONES
- Never pass a bus loading or unloading children; the area around a school bus is dangerous for children as they enter and exit the bus
- Be alert for children crossing the street around intersections as children are shorter and more difficult to see
- Remember, there are going to be lots of young drivers near school zones, so be aware or your fellow drivers
Backpacks:
- Make sure your child’s backpack is not overloaded and does not weigh more than 10-15% of their body weight
- Make sure they use both shoulder straps
Emergency Contact Information:
- Make sure you kids know their emergency contact information; iff they are too young to memorize make sure it is somewhere easily accessible for them to get and provide to a safe adult
- Ensure that the school knows who is allowed to pick up your child (the school should have this procedure in place)
- Make sure you child knows who is picking them up and not to go with anyone else, even if they are on the list
- Communicate any change to the pickup schedule clearly to your child and that school
Blog written by Aaron Huddleston, Interim Chief of Police, ACPD
