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29 Days Till School: Know the School Bus Safety Rules

Bringing you back-to-school tips, tricks and information in the weeks leading up to the first day of school.

Each day of the month leading up to the first day of school, Patch will be bringing you useful back-to-school information, tricks, trends, tips and more.

Whether your child is riding the bus for the first time this fall, or if they're a veteran bus rider, it's never a bad idea to go over school bus safety before school starts.

The National Safety Council has put together the following set of safety rules for students to follow when boarding, riding and exiting and crossing the street near the bus. 

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When boarding the bus:

  • Stay away from traffic and avoid roughhousing or other behavior that can lead to carelessness.
  • Do not stray onto streets, alleys or private property.
  • Line up away from the street or road as the bus approaches.
  • Wait until the bus has stopped and the door opens before stepping onto the roadway.
  • Use the hand rail when getting onto the bus.

When riding the bus:

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  • Find a seat and sit down. Talking loudly and making noise is not allowed, as it can distract the bus driver.
  • Never put head, arms, hands or anything else out the window.
  • Keep the ailes clear; books, bags and other objects can be tripping hazards and can block the way out during an emergency.
  • Gather your books and other belongings before reaching your bus stop.
  • At your stop, wait for the bus to stop completely before standing up. Then, walk to the front of the bus and exit using the handrail.

When exiting the bus:

  • If you must cross the street in front of the bus, walk at least 10 feet ahead of the bus along the side of the road until you can turn around and see the driver.
  • Make sure the bus driver can see you.
  • Wait for a signal from the bus driver before beginning to cross the road.
  • When the bus driver signals, walk across the road keeping an eye out for sudden traffic changes.
  • Do not cross the center line of the road until the driver has signaled that it is safe for you to begin walking.
  • Stay away from the bus' rear wheels at all times.

When crossing the street:

  • Always stop at the curb or the edge of the road and look left, right, and then left again before crossing. 
  • Continue looking left and right until safely across the road. 
  • If the student's view of the road is blocked by a parked car or other obstruction, they should move to where drivers can see them and they can see other vehicles. Then stop, look left, look right, look left again before crossing.

Source: The National Safety Council

For more information about the districts, visit www.rochester.k12.mi.us, www.lakeorion.k12.mi.us and www.romeo.k12.mi.us.

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