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YourHub.com \\ Okeechobee \\ Stories \\ Travel \\ General Travel

Back to School - Safety Tips

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Contributed by: Jason Guari on 9/9/2008

Back to School - Safe Driving Tips

This month's LAW CORNER is an important one. I wanted to share important, beneficial information regarding back to school safety tips.

End of summer means thousands of kids are heading back to school and that means a significant increase in kids on our roadways. There are new teen drivers heading to high school; child passengers in cars or school buses; bike riders and walkers and even skateboarders on sidewalks and streets. Don't expect that safety is top of mind for these young travelers. After all, they are kids.

Did you know that the act of getting to and from school has the greatest potential for danger than any other single act performed during the school day?

Education is a powerful tool for changing behavior, improving safety skills and promoting responsibility of both adults and children. To help keep kids safe, parents should share the following safety tips and relay this information to their children (including their teenagers), and explain that the children need to be personally responsible for their own safety, especially when parents aren't around. We have also created a helpful "How to travel safely to and from school" safety flyer to share with your family which can be found on our website at www.murrayguari.com.

Younger children are at greater risk because they are less visible to motorists and even SUVs. Children are can be less capable than adults of judging time, distance and also speed.

All drivers should be on full alter during the school year; they should be aware of school zones and children waiting at bus stops and walking or riding bikes. As drivers, we need to slow down when approaching children. The slower you drive, the more likely you will be able to stop if a child steps into the road. It is always important to scan the roadway in areas where children may be present.

Here is some information to share with your children.

First, make no exceptions to this rule: when in a car, EVERYONE BUCKLE UP. Older kids in seat belts, younger kids in booster seats and little ones in child safety seats. As adults must set examples and always wear a seatbelt.

Second- distractions cause accidents - even death. Teach teenagers to avoid eating, using cell phones, texting or adjusting music when driving. These things are distracting and dangerous.

Another tip - Talk to children about being careful getting on and off and walking around their school bus. Stay in view of the bus driver and they should always be looking and listening for vehicles.

Consider this - according to a 2006 report, bus-related accidents send 17,000 American children to emergency rooms each year! Nearly one-fourth of the accidents occur when children are boarding or exiting school buses.

Children who walk to school should minimize the number of streets they have to cross. Teach them to stay away from vacant lots and locations with few people around. Find them other kids to walk to school with as there is safety in numbers.

Children on bikes should always wear a helmet and never listen to music while riding. They must be able to hear approaching cars or a car horns. Kids need to follow the rules of the road and obey all traffic signs.

Finally - regularly remind kids to "think safety".

There is no denying that taking precautions such as these will decrease the number of unnecessary accidents, injuries, and fatalities this school year. Be safe, be careful and be aware.

Make it a great school year!

If you have any questions on school safety, motor vehicle safety, auto insurance, what to do in an auto accident, please do not hesitate to contact me at (561) 366-9099, or email me at jguari@murrayguari.com or visit our website at www.murrayguari.com. I would be happy to answer your questions free of charge.

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