School Bus Safety
School bus safety is an important consideration when making an overall school safety plan. While we often think of school safety as involving the school building itself, students can still face dangers while on the school bus, and schools need to take precautions to keep the kids safe while they are riding to school.
School buses are huge vehicles, and children need to be taught how to stay safe around them. School bus safety begins by teaching children to stay away from the bus while it is stopping. They should not approach the bus until the doors are opened by the bus driver. Also, when passing in front of a bus, students should be at least 10 feet in front of the bus. Most school buses are now equipped with arms to show students where to walk when passing in front. School bus safety requires that students are taught to respect this distance.
School Safety
School safety also involves dealing with bullies and other danger from peers. Children should be taught what to do if they feel like they are in danger while on the school bus. They need to be told which staff members they should contact if dangerous behavior is spotted on the bus. Also, children should be taught never to participate in horseplay while on the school bus. They should remain seated so that they do not distract the driver. Flying objects, such as paper wads, are particularly dangerous on a school bus, because they can hit the driver and cause a distraction.