Nervous about Putting Your Kids on the School Bus? Here are 8 Tips to Help Keep Your Children Safe on the School Bus

Long Island and New York City schools are back in session and it can be hard to let your child off on a bus in the morning. Here are some helpful ways to ensure they are kept safe on their way to and from school:

• Make sure your child knows their bus number. Different buses may pass their corner, and some may be going to another destination, whether to a different level school in the neighborhood or a private school that may be several towns away.
• Children tend to wander closer and closer to the curb as they wait for the bus. Have children take at least three giant steps back from the curb to wait for the bus.
• As the bus approaches, they should remain where they are until the bus comes to a complete stop. Bus drivers have difficulty seeing little kids around their bus so it is important to stand away from the bus while it is moving.
• Your child should never walk behind the school bus. When crossing the street, children should cross in front of a stopped bus that has its Stop Sign out for traffic.
• On the bus ride, children should remain seated and pay attention to any instructions from the driver.
• Seat belts are required on all New York school buses–but they only work if kids use them.
• If the windows are open, it is important for children to know to keep arms, hands and heads inside. Accidents involving children sticking arms and heads out of buses happen every year and cause serious injury.
• Ask your child who they sit with on the bus and how their ride is. Buses are notorious sites for bullying, so try to get an idea if anything upsetting or traumatic is occurring each day.

Following these steps will help keep your children safer on their ride to school. Have questions? Contact us at 516-874-0466 for answers and legal information on school bus safety.