10 School Bus Safety Tips Every Parent Needs To Know

You are responsible for keeping your children safe and secure as a parent. And when it comes to transportation to school, there is no exception. Safety should be at the top of your list. School buses are a critical part of children’s lives, so parents must monitor pick-up and drop-off locations and instruct children not to interact with strangers while waiting for their ride. 

In this blog post, we will provide 10 essential tips every parent should know about keeping their child safe when riding the school bus. By following these fundamental guidelines, you can ensure your children remain safe every step of their journey home or to any other destination.

Tips To Keep Your Child Safe On The School Bus

You can keep your children safe on the school bus by following these tips:

1. Make Sure Your Child Knows The Bus Rules

School bus safety starts with having rules and ensuring that your child is aware of them. School bus rules are typically posted inside the bus or sent home in a packet to familiarize the student before they board. Make sure you review it together to clarify expectations and create an atmosphere of respect and safety on the bus. 

Depending on your school’s policy, some topics may include:

• No playing with any objects that can be thrown on the bus,
• Walking from the bus stop to school rather than running, 
• Following directions from the driver and other adults at all times,
• Remaining in your seat until the vehicle has stopped,
• Being respectful of one another as well as the driver, etc. 

School buses are a safe way for students to get to their destination, and by reviewing these School Bus Safety Tips with your student, you can ensure that everyone onboard will have an enjoyable ride!

2. Emphasize Safety When Crossing The Street

School bus safety is paramount, as students rely on daily safe transport to and from school. School bus safety tips should always be followed, such as coming to a complete stop before crossing the street and remembering to look both ways. 

Students should remain aware of their surroundings when crossing the road and pay attention to the driver’s instructions, and note flashing red lights. By doing so, students can ensure that they are safely crossing the street without putting themselves in danger.

3. Identify The Bus Driver

Staying safe on the school bus is an essential responsibility for parents, students, and drivers. As part of this, all students must identify their bus driver when they board the vehicle. Recognizing the driver and showing proper respect helps ensure everyone arrives safely at their destination. 

It also allows for any issues or difficulties to be communicated effectively between the student and the driver. Parents must encourage their children to identify the bus driver daily so appropriate safety measures can be maintained.

4. Set Expectations For Waiting At The Stop

Waiting at the school bus stop can present a few safety concerns, making it essential to set expectations. Encourage students to remain in an area visible from outside and within the eyesight of other adults. Remind them only to approach the bus if instructed by the driver, and recommend they not move around once the bus comes. 

Additionally, encourage mutual respect between students at the bus stop by keeping everyone quiet and their hands and feet to themselves.

5. Remind Your Children Not To Talk To Strangers

Reminding your children not to talk to strangers is essential for a safe journey on the school bus. As a parent, it’s important to discuss safety boundaries with your children and reinforce the message that they should always be aware of their surroundings. 

Teach them about stranger danger and inform them that if someone strange begins speaking to them on the bus, they must tell an adult immediately. Make sure you also explain why talking to strangers is unsafe – it can put them at risk of physical harm or other dangers.

6. Instruct Your Child To Stay Seated While On The Bus

Teaching your children to stay seated while on the bus is integral to ensuring their safety. As long as they remain seated, they can be more easily supervised, preventing dangerous situations such as walking between rows or standing close to the vehicle door or window. 

It is also safer for the students involved in a possible crash or other accident because, if the driver is forced to apply sudden braking, students sitting in assigned seats and wearing seatbelts will be more secure.

7. Invest In A Reflective Tape Backpack

Parents should invest in a reflective tape backpack to ensure a child’s safety while travelling on a school bus. Bags with reflective material can help increase visibility on the road when sunlight is low and can help drivers see children boarding and exiting the bus. Parents will find that the investment is small compared to the potential benefits of extra protection for their children. 

Reflective tapes come in many fun colours and sizes, which make it easy for a child to select one that suits their style. Investing in a reflective tape backpack is a straightforward step that parents can take to ensure their children travel safely on the school bus.

8. Drivers Should Follow The Speed Limit

Driving too fast increases the risk of accidents due to over-speeding and makes braking harder and less effective. On top of that, by staying within the recommended speeds, drivers can focus more attention on timely decisions such as taking turns or making stops at designated points along their routes. 

In short, driving within the speed limit helps keep children safe while they get to school safely.

9. Have Your Child Wear Bright Colored Clothing

Safety is a priority while getting your children to and from school, and one way to ensure their safety is to have them wear bright colours when they board the school bus. Wearing more brilliant colours can give your children the extra visibility needed for drivers on the road to see your children. 

Bright colours make it much easier for drivers to spot small children boarding and exiting the bus, which can increase their safety as they navigate busy roads near schools.

10. Make Sure Your Child Knows Their Route

Teaching your child the route they should take when using the bus is crucial to help ensure they stay safe. Make sure your youngster knows how to get to their stop and get off the bus, including being aware of landmarks or turns that signal which stop is theirs. You can also show them what immediate action to take if there is an emergency on the bus. Knowing these key points could be essential in preventing any potential harm. 

It’s also vital that they understand not to talk to strangers while on their way, as this could lead them into dangerous situations. Guide your child through their route several times so that they become entirely familiar with it and feel confident and safe every time they use the school bus.

Conclusion

School buses are the safest form of transportation available to children, but ensuring their safety requires due diligence. Parents should take the time to educate their children on school bus safety and stress the importance of following all security protocols while using it. By doing this, parents can significantly reduce potential risks and keep their kids safe while they travel back and forth from school. 

Investing in a reflective tape backpack and ensuring your child wears bright clothing, knows their route and sits properly on the bus can all increase safety for students when using school buses. Following these school bus safety tips will help ensure that children have a safe journey to and from school every day.