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Tuesday, August 22, 2017
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FAMILY FEATURES
W
hile school safety is of the utmost importance to parents, millions of school-age children begin and end their days with
a bus ride. To provide some measures for parents to help increase safety going to and from the bus and during the
ride, the National Association for Pupil Transportation offers these tips.
Before the Bus Arrives
On the Bus Ride
Ensure backpacks are packed securely so papers and
other items don’t scatter as the bus approaches.
Create a morning routine that puts kids at the bus stop
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helps avoid a last-minute rush, when safety lessons are
easily forgotten, and ensures kids are safely in place for
boarding.
Encourage children to wear bright, contrasting colors so
they can be seen easier by drivers.
Walk young children to the bus stop or encourage kids
to walk in groups. There is safety in numbers; groups are
easier for drivers to see.
Instruct children to walk on the sidewalk. If there is no
sidewalk, advise them to stay out of the street, walk
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road as possible.
If kids must cross a street, driveway or alley, remind
them to stop and look both ways before crossing.
Verify that the bus stop location offers good visibility for
the bus driver; if changes are needed, talk with nearby
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changes. Never let kids wait in a house or car, where the
driver may miss seeing them approach the bus.
Remind children that the bus stop is not a playground.
Balls or other toys can roll into the street and horseplay
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Instruct children to stay at least three steps away from the
road and allow the bus to come to a complete stop before
approaching it.
When boarding the bus, items can get bumped and
dropped. Caution children that before picking anything up,
they should talk to the driver and follow instructions to
safely retrieve their possessions.
Teach safe riding habits: stay seated with head, hands and
feet inside at all times; use a seatbelt (if available); keep
bags and books out of the aisle and remain seated until
the bus stops moving. Also instruct children to never
throw things on the bus or out the windows and to never
play with or block the emergency exits.
Remind kids that yelling and other loud noises are off
limits as they could distract the driver.
If cell phones and other electronic devices are permitted,
instruct children to mute the sound or use headphones so
as not to create a distraction for the driver or other riders.
Leaving the Bus
Remind children to look before stepping off the bus. If
they must cross the street, teach them to do so in front
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bus, making eye contact with the driver and waiting for
the signal that it is safe to begin crossing.
For parents who meet their kids at the bus stop,
remember that in their excitement kids may dart across
the street. Eliminate the risk by waiting on the side of the
street where kids exit the bus.
Make the bus ride part of your daily “how was school?”
discussion. Encourage kids to talk about the things they
see and hear on the bus so you can discuss appropriate
behaviors and, if necessary, report any concerns to school
administrators.
A Safe Transportation Option
Beyond teaching safety precautions around the bus, there is
another option to ensure kids are transported safely to and from
school each day. Many school districts are moving away from
noisy, pollution-inducing and expensive diesel buses in favor of
buses powered by an alternate fuel, like propane, which offers
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Safety: Jenna Bush Hager, a teacher, author, journalist and
parent of two, has partnered with the Propane Education &
Research Council to educate parents and school districts about
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School buses powered by propane offer numerous safety
advantages. Propane school buses are quieter than diesel
buses when operating, making it easier for drivers to hear
both inside and outside the bus. This can have a direct impact
on student behavior, and many districts have reported fewer
disciplinary issues as a result. An interactive audio quiz
detailing the difference between the types of buses can be
found at QuieterSchoolBuses.com.
“As a former teacher, I know parents often overlook how the
ride to and from school can impact a child’s performance in the
Photo courtesy of Getty Images
Discuss the Bus
Join the discussion (or start one) on school
districts exploring a switch from diesel buses to
cleaner alternatives by downloading resources
including fact sheets, videos and more at
BetterOurBuses.com.
classroom,” Hager said. “A child’s attitude or behavior before
they arrive at school can set the tone for the whole day.”
In addition, these buses meet rigorous U.S. Federal Motor
Vehicle Safety Standards and each is equipped with an automatic
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running.
Another safety consideration is the health implications of older
diesel buses. The shorter height of younger students can put them
face-to-face with a black cloud of diesel smoke every school
day. With propane buses, however, students aren’t exposed to the
harmful particulate matter in diesel exhaust, which is known to
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Organization as a carcinogen. However, “low-NOx” propane
engines are 75 percent cleaner than current federal emissions
standards require.
Savings: Not only is propane consistently less expensive than
diesel fuel, the buses themselves don’t require the same expensive
repairs and replacement parts that today’s modern diesel buses
demand. Saving money on transportation costs puts schools in
a better position to appropriate budget toward meeting students’
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athletic programs.