Before you send your children out the door and back to school, make sure they are familiar with traffic, bicycle, and pedestrian laws and other safety rules.
Walking to School
Practice walking to school with your child and review your family’s safety rules.
- Walk on the sidewalk whenever possible
- If no sidewalk is available, walk opposite of road traffic on the side of the road as far to the left as possible
- Stop and look both ways before you cross a street
- Make eye contact with drivers before entering an intersection or crossing a street
- Always cross the street at designated crosswalks or intersections
- Stay alert and avoid distracted walking (ie: looking at your phone)
Riding a Bicycle to School
Practice riding the route to school with your child to ensure they understand rules of the road.
- Ride on the right side of the road, along with traffic, in a single file line
- Come to a complete stop at corners and walk the bike across the street
- Ensure child always wear appropriate fitting bike helmet and bright clothing
- Stay alert and avoid distracted riding
Riding the School Bus
Teach your children bus safety rules and practice with them.
- Go to the bus stop with your children and make sure they know how to get on and off the bus
- Teach your children to stand six feet (or 3 giant steps) away from the curb at the bus stop
- If you child must cross the street in front of the bus, teach them to walk at least 10 feet ahead of the bus and ensure they make eye contact with the bus driver before leaving the side of the road to cross
Prevent Backpack-Related Injuries
Choose your child’s backpack carefully, ensuring it fits properly and has ergonomically designed features to enhance safety and comfort.
- Teach your children to use both straps to keep weigh evenly distributed
- Avoid overstuffing a backpack – should weigh no more than 5-10% of the child’s body weight
- Practice caution using rolling backpacks since they could cause a tripping hazard in crowded hallways
Printable Back to School Safety Checklist
For more information about Back to School Safety, visit the National Safety Council website.