Parents and School Bus Drivers Working Together

Understanding Rules and Common Issues Will Help Create Bus Safety

Nov 15, 2009

By understanding the daily trials each bus faces, parents can encourage their young riders to maintain proper behavior and secure safety on the road.

There are numerous ways parents and drivers can work as a team in order to promote safety while on the school bus. Dangers inside and outside the bus threaten children's safety on a daily basis, but understanding rules and remaining aware of hazards can reduce these risks and problems. Parents should encourage their children to follow the standard bus rules and explain how to avoid certain problems these young passengers may face.

Schoo Bus Drivers Encouraged to Avoid Dangerous Situations

First Student, a transit company for school buses, has created the safety motto, "If you cannot do it safely, don't do it." School bus drivers are encouraged to avoid all potentially dangerous situations on the road. However, accidents involving school buses occur every day. A great portion of accidents could be avoided if there was order and obedience on the bus. Any distraction could lead to disaster for a school bus driver and his/her passengers.

Basic School Bus Rules That Every Young Passenger Should Follow

School Bus Stops – Loading, Unloading, and Locations

Children are in the most danger during the loading and unloading process. Hiding behind objects, such as trash cans, that can be beside the road should be avoided. While being a safe distance from the street, children should make themselves clearly visible to all drivers. Students should also be instructed to wait for the bus to come to a complete stop before approaching the door.

Bus stop locations are carefully chosen by the school bus company for convenience and safety of the children being picked up and dropped off. For this reason, it is important that students know the location of their stop and get on and off at that same stop every day. This will also cut down on confusion and ensure the student arrives home in a timely manner, reducing the stress and worry parents can experience.

Cutting Down on Distractions Will Help Ensure a Safe Bus Ride

There are a number of things that the bus driver has to pay attention to while driving. With additional distractions from the students, accidents are more likely to occur. Throwing items, such as paper balls, inside the bus and out of the windows can cause the driver to become distracted and lead to an accident. Yelling and other unnecessary noises also distract drivers from what is happening on the road.

Trash – Food and Drinks On the Bus

Leaving trash on the floor is the best way to create slipping hazards on the bus. Candy wrappers, plastic bags, paper products, and other trash items should be thrown in the trashcan provided on the bus for the students. Spilled drinks and soda cans left on the floor can lead to serious injury and create an unsafe environment. Children should be encouraged to leave food and drinks in their backpacks while on the bus and avoid leaving trash on the bus floor.

Common Problem On the School Bus is Bullying

Bullying is a daily obstacle drivers and students face while on the bus. This behavior should not be tolerated and must be dealt with in a serious manner. Not only does bullying cause unnecessary stress and emotional distress for students, but it can lead to fighting. Students suffering from bullying should feel comfortable and free to discuss these issues with their driver. Only then can proper disciplinary actions be taken to relieve and control this major issue.

Safety First!

Parents should work with drivers by encouraging their children to follow all safety precautions. Drivers and the school bus company puts rules in place to secure safe transportation of all students. Children should avoid causing additional distractions for the driver while on the road. Following safe loading and unloading procedure and picking up trash will cut down on hazardous situations. Finally, everyone involved should remember that bullying is a serious problem that should not be dealt with lightly. Following these basic rules will help guarantee students' safety and well-being.

The copyright of the article Parents and School Bus Drivers Working Together in School Readiness is owned by Terah Talley. Permission to republish Parents and School Bus Drivers Working Together in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.