School buses are a popular means of transportation, with approximately 24 million students in the United States riding buses to school, according to the Federal Citizen Information Center. School bus safety starts before the bus even arrives at the bus stop. Children shouldn't play in the street while waiting for the bus and should line up in front of the bus, not alongside it, so the driver can see every child waiting to enter the bus.
Once on the bus, students should quickly find their seats and use seatbelts if provided. Explain to your children that it's important to remain in their seats, facing forward, to prevent injury should the bus stop suddenly. When leaving the bus, children should wait for the bus to come to a complete stop before exiting. If children need to cross the street, they should do so at least 10 feet in front of the bus and wait for a signal from the bus driver that it is safe to cross.
Remind children of the basics of crossing the street: Look to the right, then to the left and then to the right again and only cross when there are no cars approaching from either direction. If children are crossing at an intersection, it is important that they watch for cars making right turns. Children should always walk with at least one other child and avoid such dangers as yards with unsecured dogs or holes in the sidewalk.
Crossing the street safely is also important for children who ride bicycles to school. Explain to your children that bicycle riders must pay special attention to their surroundings and ride their bikes as far as possible to the right side of the road to avoid contact with cars. Make sure your children stop when approaching a driveway to avoid a possible collision with a vehicle. Explain that it might not be easy for someone backing out of a driveway to see a child on a bicycle. Helmets should always be worn to prevent head injuries that can occur if your child is thrown from the bicycle.
Backpacks make it easy to transport books to and from school, but overloaded backpacks can strain muscles. Select a backpack with wide, padded shoulder straps, and make sure your child uses both shoulder straps to avoid putting too much strain on one shoulder.
Rolling backpacks are a good choice if your child is small and has difficulty with a regular backpack. Before buying a rolling backpack, make sure your child's school allows them.