Back to School? 5 Safety Tips

Mike Bottaro’s daughter starts kindergarten this week and on Tuesday, August 27, 2013, Mike visits CBS’s “The Rhode Show” to discuss back to school safety. Below are 5 back to school safety topics to review with your child:

  1. Practice The School Routine Ahead of Time
    • Talk to your child about the safety tips below before school starts
    • Practice your child’s morning and afternoon school routine
  2. Walk/Bike Safely
    • Make sure your child knows 911, and your contact info as well as not talking to strangers
    • Drivers must stop for buses and allow children to safely cross the road; take special care in looking for small children on foot or bicycle before making a left or right hand turn.
  3. Safely Board and Exit the School Bus
    • Arrive at the bus stop early and stand safely away from the street
    • Before boarding the bus: wait for the bus to come to complete stop
    • When boarding and exiting the bus: Take 5 giant steps in front of the bus door before turning
    • Avoid the “danger zones” located at the front and side of the bus – cross front of bus more than 10 feet away
    • For more tips, check out the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration site
  4. Safely Ride In The Car
    • Properly install child seats – local police stations can help for free
    • Keep children under 12 in the back seat – children in the front seat are 40% more likely to be injured in a car accident
  5. Review The Back to School Safety Checklist
    • The National Safety Council has compiled a Back to School Safety Checklist for parents to review with their children.

Our hope is for everyone to have a safe and successful school year. If you experience the unfortunate event of an accident and you or your child are injured, please call us.