October 20-24, 2008, is National School Bus Safety Week, and Safe Kids Henderson-Vance reminds parents and caregivers that school bus transportation is the safest way for school-aged children to ride.
School buses are nearly eight times safer than passenger vehicles. Getting to and from the bus is more dangerous than riding the bus. Last year, 26 children were killed as pedestrians getting on or off a school bus or while waiting at the school bus stop. In fact, five times as many children were killed while getting on or off the bus than while riding it.
The theme of this year’s observance is “Avoid Harm, Obey The Stop Arm.”
Fatal crashes involving school bus occupants are extremely rare events, even though school buses serve daily in every community. Approximately 25 million children ride school buses to and from school each day.
“Teach your children about the 10-foot danger zone around the school bus, where the driver can’t see children on the ground,” says Henderson Police Department Officer A. M. Feingold, the Safe Kids Henderson-Vance Coordinator. “Young children should take more than five giant steps away from the bus to be sure the bus driver can see them. Older kids who must cross the street should look to the bus driver for an ‘OK’ sign before crossing, and always cross in front of the bus.”
Kids should stand on the grass or sidewalk while waiting for the bus and should not enter the street until the driver has opened the door of the bus.
“Kids tend to run toward the bus and assume that drivers will see them and wait for them to cross the street. Remind your child to stay within the bus driver’s sight,” says Feingold
Safe Kids Henderson-Vance also offers children these reminders from the National Association for Pupil Transportation:
– Arrive at the bus stop five minutes early.
– While waiting for the bus, stay in a safe place away from the street. Stand at least 5 giant steps (10 feet) away from the edge of the road.
– Wait until the bus stops, the door opens, and the driver says it’s okay before stepping onto the bus.
– Be careful that clothing with drawstrings and book bags with straps or dangling objects do not get caught in the handrail or door when exiting the bus.
– If something falls under or near the bus, tell the driver. Never try to pick it up yourself!
– When you get on or off the bus, look for the bus safety lights and make sure they are flashing.
– Be alert to traffic. When you get on or off the bus, look left, right, left before you enter or cross the street.
– Stay in your seat and sit quietly so that the driver is not distracted.
– Some school buses now have seat belts. If you have seat belts on your school bus, be sure to learn to use the seat belt correctly.
Drivers should be reminded not to pass a school bus with its lights flashing. In North Carolina, it is against the law to pass a stopped school bus.
National School Bus Safety Week is held every year in the third week of October and led by the National Association for Pupil Transportation. For details, visit www.napt.org.
“School buses are, by far, the safest way for kids of all ages to get to and from school,” says Feingold. “School buses are designed with safety features that no other vehicles have. The padded, high-backed seats on school buses are close together to create protective compartments, protecting children like egg cartons protect eggs.”
Safe Kids Henderson-Vance works to prevent accidental childhood injury, the leading killer of children fourteen and under. Safe Kids Henderson-Vance is a member of Safe Kids Worldwide, a global network of organizations dedicated to preventing accidental injury. Safe Kids Henderson-Vance is led by the Henderson Police Department. For more information visit www.usa.safekids.org.