As summer draws to a close and children start heading back to school, family life can get hectic. It's important to remember – and share with your children – some key tips that will help keep them safe and healthy throughout the school year.

Transportation Safety Tips

Whether children walk, ride their bicycle, or take the bus to school, it is extremely important that they take proper safety precautions. Here are some tips to make sure your child safely travels to school:

For children who walk to school:

• Walk on the sidewalk, if one is available; when on a street with no sidewalk, walk facing the traffic
• Before you cross the street, stop and look left, right, and left again to see if cars are coming
• Make eye contact with drivers before crossing and always cross streets at crosswalks or intersections
• Stay alert and avoid distracted walking

For children who bike to school:

• Ride on the right side of the road, with traffic, and in a single file
• Come to a complete stop before crossing the street; walk bikes across the street
• Stay alert and avoid distracted riding
• Make sure your child always wears a properly fitted helmet and bright clothing

For children who take the bus to school:

• Go to the bus stop with your child to teach them the proper way to get on and off the bus
• Teach your children to stand 6 feet (or three giant steps) away from the curb
• If your child must cross the street in front of the bus, teach him or her to walk on the side of the road until they are 10 feet ahead of the bus; your child and the bus driver should always be able to see each other

School Safety Tips

• Choose a backpack for your child carefully; it should have ergonomically designed features to enhance safety and comfort
• Ask your children to use both straps when wearing their backpack to evenly distribute the weight on their shoulders
• Don't overstuff a backpack; it should weigh no more than 5% to 10% of your child's body weight
• Rolling backpacks should be used cautiously since they can create a trip hazard in crowded school hallways
• To reduce strangulation hazards on playgrounds, have your child leave necklaces and jackets with drawstrings at home
• A few bumps and bruises can be expected when your child plays sports, but head injuries should never be ignored

To learn more, visit: https://www.nsc.org/.../school-safety/school-safety-home

Credit: National Safety Council

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