Back-to-school season is a great time of the year to review basic safety tips for students, parents, and drivers as the shift from the relaxed pace of summer to the structured routine of the school year brings increased traffic, bustling school zones, and heightened pedestrian activity. Keeping everyone safe is each person’s responsibility, so it will be worth taking a moment to review some safety tips yourself. Our team from Law Offices Of Vic Feazell, P.C. would like to share some helpful tips that can help reduce the risk of all sorts of accidents in our communities and yours.
Back-to-School Safety Tips for Students
On the way to school:
- Walking: Children should always use sidewalks and crosswalks, and look both ways before crossing streets.
- Biking: Children of any age must wear a helmet, use bike lanes, and follow traffic signals when biking to school, even if the ride is a relatively short distance.
- Bus safety: Bus safety can be prioritized by arriving early, staying 6 feet away from the curb, and listening to the bus driver's instructions.
At school:
- General awareness: In between classes, and even in class, children should pay attention to the teacher, avoid distractions like smartphones, and report any suspicious behavior they notice among their peers.
- Playground safety: Although playing should be encouraged, so should playground safety. Children should use equipment properly and play within designated areas.
- Internet safety: Cyberbullying can increase after going back to school and interacting with new students, so children should be extra cautious about cyberbullying during this time of year.
Back-to-School Safety Tips for Parents
Preparing for the school year:
- Health check-ups: Schedule medical and dental check-ups for your children before school starts. An early health check-up could catch health issues that influence your child’s participation in P.E. classes.
- Emergency information: Update emergency contact info with the school if you moved during the summer and teach your children important phone numbers to know in case there is an emergency at the school, like how to reach you at work.
- Backpack safety: Try to pick out an ergonomic backpack for your child. When school begins and they have all their books from all classes, load their backpack to make sure it won’t be too heavy on even the most study-intensive of school days.
Daily routines when school resumes:
- Safe travel plans: Establish safe routes for walking or biking that your children should follow. Before school begins, practice them with your children, so they know where to go and how to behave at certain locations, such as intersections.
- Supervision: Ensure younger children are supervised when traveling to and from school. You might need to pair them with older siblings or trusted adults like friends and neighbors. Talk to your child’s school to see if it has chaperones available or if there are school-approved crossing guards at crosswalks.
- Communication: Discuss plans with your children about what the average school day will look like. You can discuss routines for getting to and from school, when you will usually get home from work, what snacks are okay to grab if you aren’t home yet and they are hungry, and so on.
Back-to-School Safety Tips for Drivers
Driving safe in school zones:
- Speed limits: Always adhere to school zone speed limits and be extra cautious when children are present. Usually, you must slow down to 25 mph or less when driving through a school zone.
- Crosswalk awareness: Stop for pedestrians at crosswalks and never block them. Follow the instructions of school crossing guards, even if they give you an instruction that you think would go against normal traffic rules.
- No passing: Do not pass stopped school buses; wait until the bus moves or the stop sign is retracted. It is both illegal and dangerous to pass a school bus that has stopped to pick up or drop off children.
General driving safety during back-to-school time:
- Distractions: As always, regardless of the time of year, you must not use cellphones or other distractions while driving, especially in school zones.
- Morning and afternoon traffic: Be prepared for increased traffic during school start and end times. In most districts, school officially begins at 8:00 AM and ends at 2:00 PM. It could be different based on where you live, though, so it is worth checking now and planning your commute ahead.
- Patience and vigilance: Exercise patience and be vigilant for children who may unexpectedly enter the road. Young children may not fully understand the danger of moving traffic, so you should expect them to be less careful than older students.
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If you or your child are ever in an accident in Central Texas, know that Law Offices Of Vic Feazell, P.C. is here to help. Our attorneys proudly offer comprehensive legal counsel that allows you to explore your legal options with less stress. Depending on the situation, we may be able to file a claim or lawsuit on your behalf and represent you and your best interests throughout it. Get more information by dialing (254) 938-6885 or contact our attorneys online today.