School bus transportation plays a critical role in the education of our nation's students, and is the ​direct link between a neighborhood and the classroom. More than 25 million children ride the yellow ​bus every school day, and National School Bus Safety Week serves as a reminder for students, ​parents, teachers, and the community to keep school bus safety in the forefront. Here are tips to ​keep our children safe at the bus stop.

Getting Ready for School

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Have your children put everything they carry in a backpack or school bag so that they won’t ​drop things along the way.

Encourage them to wear bright, contrasting colors so they will be more easily seen by

drivers.

Make sure children leave home on time so they can arrive at the bus stop before it is due,

ideally at least five minutes early. Running after or in front of a bus is dangerous.

Walking to the Bus Stop

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Walk young children to the bus stop or encourage children to walk in groups. There is safety

in numbers; groups are easier for drivers to see.

Practice good pedestrian behavior: walk on the sidewalk, and if there is no sidewalk stay out

of the street. If you must walk in the street, walk single file, face traffic and stay as close to

the edge of the road as you can.

• Stop and look left, right and then left again if you must cross the street. Do the same thing at

drive -ways and alleys. Exaggerate your head turns and narrate your actions so your child

knows you are looking left, right and left.

At the Bus Stop

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Have children wait in a location where the driver can see them while driving down the street. ​Try to avoid waiting in a house or car.

Do not let children play in the street. Playing with balls or other toys that could roll into the

street is also dangerous.

Getting On and Off the Bus

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Warn children that if they drop something getting on and off the bus, they should never pick it

up. Instead, they should tell the driver and follow the driver’s instructions.

Remind children to look to the right before they step off the bus.

If you meet your child at the bus stop after school, wait on the side where the child will be

dropped off, not across the street. Children can be so excited to see you after school that

they dash across the street and forget the safety rules.

Mobile Devices

Cell phones and other electronic devices are often permitted on the school bus as long as:

• They are in backpacks or other holders, keeping hands free to use handrails while boarding

and departing the bus.

• Sound is muted or headphones, ear buds or similar devices are used.

• Content does not violate the law or school district policy and procedures.

• Use does not create a distraction for the driver.

National Association for Pupil Transportation (NAPT)

Stay on sidewalks.

Be alert at all times.

If there are no sidewalks, walk on the side and against traffic to see oncoming motorists.

Keep your eyes and ears on the road and on what's happening around you.

Mind the rules, follow signs and signals.

Obey all traffic rules, signs, and signals, especially before stepping out into a street.

Cross one lane at a time.

When crossing at a location without signals, cross one lane at a time.

Only cross when traffic has stopped.

Look left, then right, then left again before crossing a crosswalk.

Observe the rules and stay safe on the road!

What is impact teen driver?

Impact Teen Drivers’ programs and resources outline the dangers of reckless and distracted driving, the importance of good decision making behind the wheel, evidence-based strategies, and the necessity of understanding and following the Graduated Driver Licensing law so teens can keep themselves, their friends and family, and everyone they share the road with safer.

Impact Teen Drivers’ programs engage, educate, and empower teens and their influencers to see that reckless and distracted driving crashes are 100% preventable. With a focus on positive solutions to help stop reckless and distracted driving, Impact Teen Drivers’ programs do not use scare tactics. The programs use engaging quizzes, interactive tools, and real stories of teens who have lost their lives or caused the loss of life in preventable car crashes to connect emotionally and motivate young people toward attitude and behavior change.

Enhanced with Pedestrian activities:

Passenger safety

Getting a ride from a friend? Calling an Uber? Let us show you how to be a safe passenger!

Parent Programs

Impact Teen Drivers has created parent-teen workshops for parents and their teens to attend together, or for parents to attend to learn some of the strategies they can use to keep their teen safe on the road.

Elementary level Programs

It's never too early to learn how to be safe on the road, or in the street. Let us make learning fun!

Are you distracted while walking? NYC & It's busy streets are even more dangerous while distracted.

Our Injury Prevention Team at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens, will bring the cross walk to you! Through play activities we demonstrate the dangers of Texting & Crossing or Drinking and trying to do something that requires focus, like driving, or being a pedestrian.

join us! for a learning session today!

we have Virtual & in person options