Bus Accident Lawyers

5 Bus Safety Tips for Children

The safety of a child is paramount in the eyes of any parent. When getting your child ready for school, make sure that bus safety is one of the topics of discussion. Though most bus drivers are careful, conscientious people, accidents can and do happen. Teaching your child to respect certain bus safety guidelines could mean the difference between life and death or serious injury.

1. Stay clear of the bus before getting on and after getting off. Buses are large, unwieldy vehicles. As well trained as bus drivers can be, they cannot monitor all areas of the bus at the same time. Teach your child to stay well away from the curb when waiting for the bus, and to move a safe distance from the bus after getting off.
2. 2. Watch for other cars when getting on or off the bus. Although other vehicles are required to stop when a school bus is letting children on or off, many irresponsible drivers fail to follow this rule. Furthermore, drivers of other cars may not be actively looking out for children crossing the street. Good awareness skills can save your child’s life.
3. 3. While on the bus, follow driver directions. If children on a school bus are rowdy, drivers have to divide their attention between operating the vehicle and managing disruptive passengers. A distracted driver lowers reaction speed and increases the risk of an accident.
4. 4. When riding a bus, sit properly and facing forward. As you may know, the vast majority of school buses are not equipped with seat belts. Instead, they rely on reinforced seat backs to “compartmentalize” children and protect them from the impact of a crash. However, if children are improperly seated or moving around, this measure of protection becomes much less effective.
5. 5. NEVER, under ANY circumstances, crawl under a bus. Teach your child that safety comes first. Never allow them to crawl under a bus for any reason, whether it be to retrieve a precious belonging or out of curiosity. If they do drop something which needs to be retrieved, instruct them to either wait until the bus has pulled clear or speak with the bus driver for assistance.

Every year, bus accidents injure many innocent children on their way to and from school. If your family has been hurt by a bus accident, call a bus accident lawyer from Williams Kherkher at 866-950-9000 today for a free initial consultation.