Back-to-School

With the first days of school comes much more than a new year of learning, along with those first few days comes an increase in traffic flow.

We here at the Standard urge drivers to be cautious as buses start moving again and to watch carefully for pedestrians. Remember that the stop signs buses put out are not a suggestion. If you have problems getting stuck behind buses, try leaving about five minutes earlier.

While school buses are typically safer than cars, according to a release from the Kentucky State Police, many children are injured or killed in incidents involving school buses.

Here are a few tips from the KSP to help students and parents have a safer school year.

Riding the bus
• Have a safe place to wait for your bus, away from traffic and the street.
• Stay away from the bus until it comes to a complete stop and the driver signals you to enter.
• When being dropped off, exit the bus and walk 10 giant steps away from the bus. Keep a safe distance
between you and the bus. Also, remember that the bus driver can see you best when you are back away
from the bus.
• Use the handrail to enter and exit the bus.
• Stay away from the bus until the driver gives his/her signal that it's okay to approach.
• Be aware of the street traffic around you. Drivers are required to follow certain rules of the road
concerning school buses, however, not all do. Protect yourself and watch out!

Walking and Biking to School
Even if you don't ride in a motor vehicle, you still have to protect yourself. Because of minimal supervision, young pedestrians face a wide variety of dangers while walking to and from school. Here are a few basic safety tips to follow:
• Mind all traffic signals and/or the crossing guard -- never cross the street against a light, even if you
don't see any traffic coming.
• Walk your bike through intersections.
• Walk with a buddy.
• Wear reflective material...it makes you more visible to street traffic.

Riding in a Car
• You might have heard before that most traffic crashes occur close to home ... they do.
• Safety belts are the best form of protection passengers have in the event of a crash. They can lower
your risk of injury by 45 percent.
• You are four times more likely to be seriously injured or killed if ejected from the vehicle in a crash.
• Everyone needs to be buckled up properly. That means older children in seat belts, younger children in booster seats and little children in child safety seats.

— Tips from the Kentucky State Police. Image from Metro Creative Graphics

Posted by Stephanie