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School Travel Safety

General Tips

• Carefully consider which means of transportation works best depending on the student’s age, maturity level, location, and how far they live from the school.
• Leaving a few minutes early is helpful so that the student does not feel rushed and remembers to be cautious.
• Students should not travel alone to school if at all possible. Try to arrange for them to go with others.
• Students should report any uncomfortable situation that they may encounter when traveling to and from school to their parents and teacher.

Crossing the Street

• Always look both ways and then look left again. It may seem obvious, but many accidents happen because people fail to perform this simple task.
• Try to cross the street at a corner with a crosswalk. If there is a pedestrian traffic light, cross when you have the right of way.
• Most schools have crossing guards to help students safely get across the street. It is important to be alert and follow their directions.
• Do not assume that someone else in the group is looking for cars on your behalf or that on-coming traffic can see you crossing.

Walking, Biking, Skateboarding, etc.

• Walk on the sidewalk. If there is no sidewalk, walk on the left side of the road facing the traffic.
• Wear bright colors or put reflective tape on backpacks so that drivers can see you.
• Never walk out from in between two cars.
• When riding a bicycle, scooter, or skateboard always walk it across the street instead of riding it. Also, wear the proper safety equipment (helmet, elbow pads, etc.) when necessary.
• To avoid distraction, do not listen to mp3 players or use cell phones.

Taking the Bus

• At the bus stop, wait on the sidewalk and never step out into the street until the bus has fully stopped.
• If there are enough seats, always stay seated and buckle seat belts if they are available.
• When walking near the bus, be far enough away so that the bus driver as well as other drivers can clearly see you when crossing the street.
• If taking public transportation, practice the commute so that you are confident and always have a back-up travel route in case there are any problems.

Driving

• Watch out for pedestrians and follow school traffic signs.
• Be sure that everyone in the vehicle is safely buckled.
• When carpooling with another student’s parents, make sure that they are a safe driver.
• Use caution when getting in the car with new drivers.
• Know what to expect when dropping off students at school. Sometimes there are designated areas or students have to be walked in.
• Find out the school’s pick-up policy and whether or not they require a list of people who are allowed to take students home.

Discover More

• Safe Kids USA: Child Pedestrian Safety Rules.
• American Academy of Pediatrics: Safety Tips.
• Safe Kids Worldwide: Pedestrian Safety.
• Elmer’s Safety Village: Safety Activities.
• Ask a Cop: Rules for School Bus Safety.
• National Highway Traffic Highway Administration: The School Bus and You.
• Teen Driving: General Tips.