A successful school year starts with safety

School bus safety

This article was written by Baillie McCane, BSN, RN, Injury Prevention and Outreach Coordinator, Trauma/Surgical Services at UK HealthCare.

School is back in session. Did you know an average of 25 million students begin and end their day on a school bus? Students are 70 times more likely to get to and from school safely by riding the school bus than traveling by car.

No matter how you get to school, here are some tips for ensuring students arrive at school safely – and remain safe while on campus.

TRANSPORTATION SAFETY

  • Pedestrians should walk on the sidewalk facing traffic.
  • Always look both ways before crossing the street and make eye contact with stopped drivers.
  • Bikers should always wear a helmet and ride on the right side of the road.
  • Bus Riders should stand six feet away from the curb at the bus stop.
  • Drivers should always obey school zone speed limits and follow the school’s drop-off policy.
  • NEVER pass a bus loading or unloading children.
  • Drivers should stay 10 feet back from buses to allow children to enter and exit safely.
  • Remember: Head up and phone down.

SCHOOL SAFETY

  • Choose an ergonomically designed backpack for your child to promote safety and comfort.
  • Don’t overstuff your child’s backpack.
  • Always use both straps of the backpack to distribute weight evenly.
  • Avoid wearing necklaces and jackets with drawstrings on the playground to prevent strangulation and wear proper footwear.

SAFETY CHECK UPS

  • Make sure your child’s physical is up to date, ensuring proper vision and vision aids and proper hearing and hearing aids.

 

For more information, contact Baillie McCane, Trauma Outreach Coordinator, at baillie.mathis@uky.edu.

Sources: 1) National Safety Council. (2021). Back to school safety checklist. https://www.nsc.org/community-safety/safety-topics/school-safety/school-safety-home.

This content was produced by UK HealthCare Brand Strategy.

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