Constable
Marc Trioreau, RCMP Community Policing Officer for the Trinity Conception
District�
1. Bus Safety tips
With a new school year starting, it is important to go over some
safety tips in relation to school bus safety. This is particularly
applicable for children that would be attending school for the first
time and have never experience school bus transportation in the past.
It is also a good refresher for parents and children alike.
Did you know that school buses are one of
the safest forms of transportation around? The greatest potential
danger is actually not riding the bus, it's Before & After:
before you get on and after you get off.
There are areas around the school bus
that are particularly dangerous and that children have to be aware of
and try to stay away as much as possible. They are called danger zone.
Danger Zone (front): DANGER ZONE! It's never safe to walk
close to the front of the bus. The bus driver may be sitting up too
low to see you. Walk 5 giant steps ahead of the bus before crossing in
front of it.
Danger Zone (sides): DANGER ZONE! Remember never walk
close to the side of a school bus. Stay at least 3 giant steps away
from the side. You may be in the bus driver's blind spot where he/she
can't see you.
Danger Zone (behind bus): DANGER ZONE! Never walk behind a
school bus. The driver will not be able to see you.
Walking Area:
When getting off the bus make sure you
walk (not run) three more steps away from the door. This is the best
place to be around a bus. Stay away from the bus wheels and watch out
for moving cars!
The Safety City School Bus Check
List
1. Getting to the bus stop.....
Always get to the bus stop at least 5
minutes before the bus is due to arrive.
Running across the road to catch the bus
isn't smart.
If you have to walk on roads where
there's no sidewalk, always walk against traffic. Try to stay off the
road as much as possible.
When crossing the street to get to the
bus, always look left, then right, then left again. Cars will approach
on the left first. If there are parked cars blocking your view, go to
the nearest corner cross walk.
2. Getting on the bus.....
When the bus approaches, do the smart
thing: step back and stand at least THREE GIANT STEPS away from the
curb. That way the bus driver can pull up to the curb so you won't
have to walk out in the street to get on.
Wait until the bus stops, the door opens,
and the driver says it's okay to board before stepping onto the bus.
Never walk behind the bus or close to the
side of the bus. You could be in the driver's blind spot.
If you drop something near the bus, don't
pick it up until you tell the bus driver or he may not see you.
When you get on the bus, take your seat
quickly.
While you're riding the bus
When the bus is moving, always stay in
your seat.
Let the bus driver concentrate on the
road. Just imagine how hard it would be to pay attention to the road
with 30 students TALKING TALKING TALKING TALKING all at once!!!
Remember, the bus driver''s job is to get you to and from school
safely.
3. Getting off the bus
When you leave the bus, use the handrail.
It'll help you avoid a crash if you stumble.
(Now this is really important!) Make sure
there's nothing sticking out on you (your clothes, the hood of your
coat, key chains, etc) or your backpack (straps, drawstrings, or
anything else) that could get caught in the handrail on the bus or the
bus door. What if the bus driver took off while you're still trying to
get off the bus. (Ouch!)
If you have to cross the street in front
of the bus, walk on the sidewalk (or along the side of the road) to a
point that's at least 5 GIANT STEPS ahead of the bus before you cross.
Be sure that the bus driver can see you, and you can see the bus
driver.
Safety tips . . . for parents
Assure your children you won't get mad if
they don't go back for a jacket they've left on the bus, or school
work they've dropped under a wheel.
Encourage them to sit quietly in their
seat and follow the driver's instructions on bus safety.
Safety tips . . . for motorists.
Come to a complete Stop when the bus
warning lights are flashing, or the stop arm comes out.
Share the road with the yellow bus
Bus Safety Stats
By all measures, school buses are the
safest motor vehicles on the highways.
When comparing the number of fatalities
of children ages 5 through 18 during "normal school
transportation hours," in the 1989 through 1999 school years,
school buses are 87 times safer than passenger cars, light trucks, and
vans.
From 1989 to 1999, an average of 10
passengers were killed each year in school bus crashes.
Most of the school bus fatalities were in
non_survivable situations (the fatality occurred at the point of
maximum damage to the school bus).
From 1989 to 1999, an average of 30
pedestrians were killed each year while getting on or off school
buses, 23 of which were children struck by the school bus. The other 7
pedestrians were struck by another vehicle.
More than half of the pedestrian
fatalities in school bus related crashes were children between 5 and 7
years old.
Most student pedestrian fatalities in
school bus related crashes occur when coming home from school during
daylight hours.
If you have any suggestions, ideas or
comments in relation to this article, please feel free to let me know.
Home
at least 3 giant steps away
from the side. You may be in the bus driver's blind spot where he/she
can't see you.
Come to a complete Stop when the bus
warning lights are flashing, or the stop arm comes out.
