Back to school is an exciting time for families, schools, and teachers. It’s a time of big changes! Throughout all of these exciting changes it is important to make sure that your child’s safety is not overlooked.
Remember to go over safety considerations with your family before the start of the school year!
Getting to School
Whether you walk, cycle, drive, or take the bus you should be careful in the way you get around. Review traffic rules with your children, for each of these transportation types.
Walking and Cycling
Remind your child how to be mindful of cars, bikes, buses, or other people while they’re walking. Have your children always walking on the sidewalk if there is one available or facing traffic while walking on the road if there is no sidewalk.
Encourage children to only cross a road at an intersection by walking, not running. If a crossing guard is present, your child should only cross at the guard’s direction.
If you cycle, remember the importance of a helmet and the rules of the road.
Buses and Cars
Teach your children about the school bus. Teach them to stand away from the bus until it stops completely and then to board. They should know to look both ways if you have to cross the street and make sure they are far enough ahead that the bus driver can still see them. When they are on the bus, they should sit facing forward and make sure to never distract the driver.
If you are driving, remember that children do not have as great of a sense of traffic as you do. Drive slowly and carefully, especially through school zones. Always be alert and ready to stop!
For more safety tips, check out the Government of Canada’s Get Prepared website!
