Tips to Keep Your Kids Safe on the School Bus

When your kids must ride a school bus, how can you keep them safe while on the bus? We hear horror stories of bus bullies and bus accidents. You do your best to protect your kids when you have control over their environment, but what can you do to reduce risk for your kids while they ride the school bus to and from school?

Safest Seat on the School Bus

Most people believe that sitting in a seat mid-bus is probably safest in case of a bus accident. It's probably the smoothest in terms of ride, too. Sitting near an exit door for quick exit may also prove to be a safer seat.

Least Safe Seat on the School Bus

Sitting anywhere but the front seat may prove safer. Front seats are exposed to more windshield glass and are first in line for injury in a head-on accident involving speed. But sitting in the rear of the bus is not advised, since it's usually the bumpiest ride. What's more, the center seat at the rear may be one of the worst seats for this reason. There's no containment, no seat in front--in the event of an accident or a rough ride. And seatbelts are not a given. The age of the bus and state requirements influence seatbelt use on school busses.

School Bus Safety Tips to Teach Your Kids

Before the school year begins, it's a good idea to go over some school bus safety tips with your kids. The following tips teach safety while entering and exiting a school bus and while riding the school bus.

Safety Entering or Exiting School Bus

1. Stay back from an approaching school bus a good 10 feet.
2. Enter the school bus one person at a time.
3. Always check for stopped cars before crossing to or exiting from the school bus.
4. If you drop anything near the school bus, don't get it yourself. Ask the bus driver for assistance.
5. Walk in front of the school bus, not behind it.

Safety on the School Bus

1. Sit in your seat and ride quietly.
2. If you do speak, use a soft voice so you don'˜t distract the driver.
3. Don't jump, tease others, or fight on the bus.
4. Don't wear loose-fitting sleeves or backpacks that could get caught in the bus door.
5. Stay seated while the bus is moving and face forward.
6. Don't throw anything out the window or hang anything out the window.
7. Keep the school bus aisle clear.
8. Don't play with emergency exits.
9. Always listen to the bus driver's instructions.

Safety at School Bus Stop Location

As a concerned parent, if you believe a school bus stop location is dangerous, take it to your school officials or the director of transportation. Bus stop locations can be changed. Seek to minimize risk involving your kids and the school bus.