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School Bus Safety Information

School Bus Safety Information

To ensure the safety of all students, it is crucial to follow the established bus safety rules and responsibilities. This section provides detailed guidelines on how students should conduct themselves while riding the bus, as well as important information for parents and guardians. Please review these rules carefully and discuss them with your children to help maintain a safe and orderly environment for everyone.

Walking To & From The Bus Stop

 

A school bus with its stop sign extended, children waiting to board.Students should be particularly careful when walking to and from school bus stops. If possible, parents should accompany young children to the bus stop and assist in keeping order while waiting for the bus.

Here are some guidelines to share with your children:

  1.  Allow enough time in the morning to get to the bus without hurrying. Rushing causes carelessness, a major factor in accidents. They should be at the bus stop at least five minutes prior to the scheduled bus time.
  1. Children should be instructed to keep on sidewalks or on the shoulder, and far away from the main traveled portion of the roadway.
  1. Children should pay close attention to traffic, weather conditions, and visibility conditions, visible clothing, or clothing and backpacks with reflective material should be worn at all times.
  1. Children should remain orderly at all times and refrain from boisterous conduct or horseplay while walking to and from the school bus stop.
  1. Children should not engage in conversation with strangers or accept rides from passing motorists
  1. When walking to or from a bus stop, children should face traffic.
  1. Remove Drawstrings: Drawstrings on clothing can catch in school bus doors, as well as on playground equipment, fences and escalators. Remove or shorten drawstrings on children's shirts, jackets or backpacks, or replace drawstrings with another kind of fastener that does not have a knot on the end.

Danger Zones around a School Bus

NEVER GO UNDER OR NEAR THE BUS TO RETRIEVE PAPERS OR OTHER OBJECTS. The driver may not be able to see you!

DANGER ZONE.jpg

Safety Tips

Crossing Streets Safely

  • STAY on your side of the road — far back from the road edge and away from traffic.
  • WAIT for the bus to stop and LOOK for the driver's signal to cross the street. Making eye contact with the bus driver is important for safely crossing a street.
  • CHECK traffic both ways — then check again.
  • CROSS the street directly across, checking traffic both ways.
  • WALK about 12 feet (6 giant steps) ahead of the bus' bumper.
  • BOARD the bus quickly.
  • ALL STUDENTS 8th GRADE AND BELOW must be escorted by the school bus driver.

 

Exiting the Bus

  • WALK along the side of the road until you can see your bus driver.
  • STOP and wait for the signal to cross from the driver.
  • LOOK for traffic both ways. If you see a vehicle that has not stopped, go back to the bus immediately.
  • CROSS the road quickly after all vehicles have stopped.

 

Maintain a distance of 10 to 12 feet from the bus at all times, except when boarding or exiting. This ensures students remain within the driver's line of sight and provides space for students disembarking.

 

If a student drops anything while boarding or exiting, they should inform the driver immediately so the driver can retrieve the item safely.

Safety Rules and Guidelines

Transportation Guidelines
The bus driver tries to stay as close to the designated pick-up and drop off times as possible. To ensure punctual bus transportation, please follow the rules listed below.

  1. Students and parents/guardians will need to be at the designated pick up/drop off spots at least five (5) minutes prior to pick up/drop off times.
  2. The bus will not wait past the designated pick-up time.
  3. The bus will not stop if students are waiting in cars or at an undesignated spot.
  4. If there is no one there to pick up your child, the bus will take him/her back to school. The bus will not wait for you to arrive nor will it make a second attempt to drop them off.
  5. No skateboards, pets or animals will be transported on the bus.

 

A yellow school bus with its doors open, children are getting off the bus.

 

 

 

 

Safety Rules and Responsibilities

By law, students must remain seated at all times, must keep all body parts and objects inside the windows of the bus, and must follow all directions of the driver.

We all have a responsibility when it comes to school bus safety. Make sure your children know and follow these rules:

  1. Arrive at the bus stop 5-10 minutes before the scheduled pick-up time.
  2. When waiting for the bus, wait in a safe area.
  3. Always walk. Never run to or from the bus.
  4. Stand back from the curb.
  5. Wait until the bus doors open before approaching the bus.
  6. Don't push or shove.
  7. Stay in your seat & always wear a seatbelt.
  8. Don't yell or shout.
  9. Never crawl under a bus.
  10. Students will follow all directions of the bus driver.
  11. No food or drinks are allowed on the bus.
  12. Explain about the Danger Zones

 

Meet the Bus
Coordinate with other parents to ensure an adult is present at the bus stop every day, especially when children under the age of nine are present.