With back to school around the corner, roads will be congested from school buses, parents dropping off their children and teen drivers who aren't quite vigilant drivers yet. It is important during this time to slow down and be careful of children, especially when in a school zone. If traveling behind a school bus, it is the law to stop when they are loading or unloading students. According to the National Safety Council, children who lose their lives to bus-related accidents were hit by someone who was illegally passing a stopped bus. 

Carpool 

This is a great time to join a carpool with people in your neighborhood to limit the number of cars arriving at the school at the same time. When dropping your kids off, be sure to follow the drop off strategy that the school has in place. Never double park as this prevents visibility for other cars and children. It is also important to never drop off or pick up from across the street of the school. 

Educate Your Child 

It is important to have a talk with your kids about being safe while traveling to and from school. School buses, walking, bike riding and driving for students of age are the most common ways of transportation to school. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there were 301 school-age children killed in transportation-related accidents from 2006-2015. 

These simple tips can help improve the safety of your kids when traveling: 

  1. Face forward on the school bus and stay seated.
  2. When exiting the school bus look both ways if you have to cross the street.
  3. If you are walking, always use the sidewalk if there is one available.
  4. For biking, wear a safe and secure helmet and ride in the same direction as traffic.
  5. For new drivers, be sure that everyone in the vehicle has on a seatbelt at all times.
  6. Drive without any or all distractions. 

As back to school is around the corner, be sure to take these extra precautions for your child’s safety. The Cochran Firm wishes all students a safe and successful year ahead!