National School Bus Safety Week — Oct. 21-25, 2019

National School Bus Safety Week is October 21-25, 2019. 

This is a public education program designed to remind and teach parents, students, teachers, motorists, school bus operators, and school administrators about the importance of school bus safety.

At the Cabot School District, we transport almost 6,000 students daily on close to 90 routes each day. Our bus drivers work hard to make sure students stay safe!

School districts throughout the country are observing School Bus Safety Week. The theme this year is, “My School Bus, The Safest Form of Student Transportation!"

Here are some school bus safety tips for parents.

Getting Ready for School

• Have your children put everything they carry in a backpack or school bag so that they won´t drop things along the way.

• Have them wear bright, contrasting colors so they will be more easily seen by drivers.

• Make sure they leave home on time so they can walk to the bus stop and be ready when the bus arrives. Running can be dangerous.

Walking to the Bus Stop

• Walk your young child to the bus stop, and have older children walk in groups. There is safety in numbers; groups are easier for drivers to see.

• Practice good pedestrian behavior: walk on the sidewalk. If there is no sidewalk and you have to walk in the street, walk single file, face traffic and stay as close to the edge of the road as you can.

• Stop and look left, right and then left again if you must cross the street. Do the same thing at driveways and alleys.

Waiting at the Bus Stop

• Don´t let your child play running games or push and shove at the bus stop. It is dangerous.

• Make sure your child stands at least 10 feet (five giant steps) from the road while waiting for the bus. The child will then be out of the way of traffic.

Getting On and Off the Bus

• If children drop something, they should never pick it up. Instead, they should tell the driver and follow the driver´s instructions. If they bend over to pick up a dropped object, they might not be seen by the driver and could be hurt if the driver pulls away from the stop.

• Remind children to look to the right before they step off the bus. Drivers in a hurry sometimes try to pass busses on the right.

• Teach your children to secure loose drawstrings and other objects that may get caught in the handrail or door of the bus as they are exiting.

• If you meet your child at the bus stop after school, wait on the side where the child will be dropped off, not across the street. Children can be so excited at seeing you after school that they dash across the street and forget the safety rules.

Riding the Bus

• Children should talk quietly, be courteous to the driver and follow the driver´s instructions.

• Children should stay seated during the entire bus ride and keep the aisles clear.

Please Note - We are always hiring amazing bus drivers too! For more information, click HERE!