Get Back To School Safely

As the carefree days of summer give way to the hectic back-to-school season, parents and caregivers should take time out to teach and review important safety guidelines with children.

"As fall approaches and children prepare to return to school, it's important for parents and children to go over safety tips together," says Martha Collar, coordinator of the Safe Kids Oklahoma.

About 24 million students ride school buses daily. Although it is one of the safest ways to travel to and from school, injuries do occur. In 2004, about 25 children ages 14 and under were killed in school bus-related traffic crashes. An estimated 4,500 children were injured in school bus-related incidents.

Nearly half of the children killed were pedestrians, because many injuries happen when children are boarding or exiting the bus. The driver has a blind spot that extends about 10 feet in front of the bus and obstructs his view. Children are not aware of this blind spot and might mistakenly believe that if they can see the bus, the bus driver can see them.

A child's behavior at the bus stop is a very important aspect of school bus safety. Children should remember these safety tips while waiting for the bus:

   � Arrive at the stop at least five minutes before the bus arrives.

   � Stay out of the street and avoid horseplay. Always wait for parents on the same side of the street as the school bus loading/unloading zone.

   � Cross the street at least 10 feet (or 10 giant steps) in front of the bus to avoid the driver's blind spot.

When boarding or leaving the bus, children should always:

   � Walk in a single file line.

   � Use the handrail to avoid falls.

   � Wait until the bus comes to a complete stop before exiting.

   � Exit from the front of the bus.

   � Remove loose drawstrings or ties on jackets and sweatshirts, and replace with Velcro, snaps or buttons. Loose drawstrings or book bags can get caught on bus handrails.

   � Ask the bus driver for help if anything is dropped while entering or exiting the bus.

While on the bus, children should observe the following safety rules:

   � Remain seated at all times and keep the aisles clear.

   � Do not throw objects.

   � Do not shout or distract the driver unnecessarily.

   � Keep heads and hands inside the bus at all times.

Walking to School

Nationwide, pedestrian injuries are the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 5 to 14. Almost one-fourth of the children between the ages of 5 and 9 years old killed in traffic crashes are pedestrians. In 2004, nearly 700 children 14 and under died from pedestrian injuries and an estimated 43,300 children were treated in hospital emergency rooms.

Safe Kids recommends that children under 10 never cross the street alone. Prepare now for International Walk to School Day, scheduled this year for Oct. 4, by making sure you follow these safety guidelines:

   � Choose the safest route and walk it with children. Look for the direct route with the fewest street crossings. Walk the route with the children until they demonstrate traffic safety awareness. They should take the same route every day and avoid short cuts.

   � Teach children to recognize and obey all traffic signals and markings. A flashing "walk" sign is not an automatic "go" signal. It means a pedestrian has permission to cross, but must stop and look both ways for cars.

   � Make sure children look in all directions before crossing the street. Teach them to stop at the curb or edge of the road, and look left, right, and left again for traffic before and while crossing the street.

   � Teach children not to enter the street from between parked cars or from behind bushes or shrubs. Darting into the street accounts for the majority of the child pedestrian fatalities.

   � Teach children to cross the street at a corner or a crosswalk. Make sure children allow plenty of time to cross. Teach them to walk, not run across intersections. Tell children to listen to adult crossing guards or safety patrols at monitored intersections.

   � Warn children to be extra alert in bad weather. Visibility might be poor and motorists might not be able to see them or stop quickly.

   � Demonstrate proper pedestrian safety by being a good role model. Parents, caregivers, and older peers should set good examples for younger children.

Riding Bikes to School

Whether out of necessity or for fun, many children choose to ride their bikes to school. Unfortunately, bicycles are associated with more childhood injuries than any other consumer product except the automobile. Last year, about 130 children ages 14 and under died in bicycle-related crashes. In addition, more than 228,900 children were treated in hospital emergency rooms for bicycle-related injuries in 2004. To keep children safe, Safe Kids offers these safety tips for children riding bicycles to school:

   � Wear bike helmets at all times when bicycling. Head injuries account for more than 60 percent of bicycle-related deaths, more than two-thirds of bicycle-related hospital admissions and about one-third of hospital emergency room visits for bicycling injuries. Bike helmets have been shown to reduce the risk of head injury by as much as 85 percent and the risk of brain injury by as much as 88 percent. Purchase a bike helmet that meets federal safety standards or those developed by ANSI, Snell or ASTM and make sure that it is worn correctly every time the child rides his or her bike.

   � Follow the rules of the road. Children who ride bikes to school should be taught to follow traffic rules that apply to all vehicles. Ride on the right side of the road, with traffic, not against traffic; use appropriate hand signals; respect traffic signals; stop at all intersections, marked and unmarked; and stop and look left, right and left again before entering or crossing the street.

  * Never let children ride on the road without direct adult supervision until age 10. Cycling should be restricted to sidewalks and paths until a child is age 10 and able to demonstrate how well he or she rides and observes the rules of the road.

   � Make sure schools provide cyclists with "safe areas." Bike racks should be placed in areas where there are few motor vehicles and pedestrians. Avoid drop-off and pick-up zones in school parking lots.

Driving Children to School

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 14 and under. Seventy-five percent of motor vehicle crashes occur within 25 miles of home, and 60 percent of crashes occur on roads with posted speed limits of 40 mph or less. Safe Kids offers these safety tips for driving children to school and participating in car pools:

   � Always use child safety seats and safety belts correctly every time you and your children ride. Remain buckled up until exiting the vehicle. Children who have outgrown a convertible seat should graduate to a booster until they are 4 feet, 9 inches tall, or around 8 years old.

   � Never put two children in one seat belt. Don't transport more passengers than you can properly restrain.

   � Never put loose or heavy objects in the passenger area of the car that could injure someone if you stopped suddenly or crashed.

   � Arrange to drop off and pick up children at a safe spot away from the congestion of traffic around school. Make sure they enter and leave the car on the curb side.

   � Children under age 13 should not ride in front of an air bag unless an air bag cut-off switch has been installed.            

Following these important safety guidelines and reviewing them every year with your children can help keep the back to school season a safe one.

Safe Kids Oklahoma is a program of the Oklahoma State Department of Health and Children's Hospital at OU Medical Center.