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Idaho Transportation
Department
Public Affairs Office
P.O. Box 7129
Boise, ID 83707
208.334.8005
Fax: 208.334.8563
Email


Safety tips for children who ride school buses

Parents and teachers should encourage children who ride school buses to observe the following guidelines, provided by the National Safety Council, to ensure their safety:

  • When waiting for the bus, stay away from traffic and avoid roughhousing or other behavior that can lead to carelessness. Do not stray onto streets, alleys or private property.
  • Line up away from the street or road as the school bus approaches. Wait until the bus has stopped and the door opens before stepping onto the roadway.
  • Use the handrail when stepping onto the bus.
  • When on the bus, find a seat and sit down. Loud talking or other noise can distract the bus driver and is not allowed. Never put head, arms or hands out of the window.
  • Keep aisles clear – books or bags are tripping hazards and can block the way in an emergency.
  • Before you reach your stop, get ready to leave by getting your books and belongings together. At your bus stop, wait for the bus to come to a complete stop before getting up from your seat. Then, walk to the front door and exit, using the handrail
  • If you have to cross the street in front of the bus, walk at least 10 feet ahead of the bus along the side of the road, until you can turn around and see the driver. Make sure that the driver can see you. Wait for a signal from the driver before beginning to cross. When the driver signals, walk across the road, keeping an eye out for sudden traffic changes.
  • Do not cross the centerline of the road until the driver has signaled that it is safe for you to begin walking.
Stay away from the rear wheels of the wheels at all times.
School bus transportation is one of the safest forms of transportation in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Every year, the nation’s 450,000 public school buses travel more than 4.3 billion miles to transport 23.5 million children to and from school and school-related activities. Students are nearly eight times safer riding in a school bus than in cars.

The fatality rate for school buses is 0.2 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT), compared to 1.5 per 100 million VMT for cars.

For more safety tips, visit: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/outreach/KidsPage/bussafety/index.html

Published 8-25-06