There isn't a more important job that all of us have than keeping the children in our communities safe from harm. As they head back to school it is so important that we are all looking out for them and helping them to avoid a Connecticut auto accident on the way to school.
When your children are first heading to the bus stop when they are really young many parents take the opportunity to teach them the safety tips that they can take to make sure to stay safe on the way to and from the bus stop. These are tips that we have all grown up on over time. As children age, parents often forget to remind them of these safety tips even though people of any age can use a reminder from time to time to keep themselves safe. That is why we are encouraging all parents, no matter how old your child is, to provide them a refresher on safety as it relates to getting to and from school at the start of the new school year.
When kids are away from school for 2 1/2 months during the summer there may become serious gaps in their memory for the rules of school, therefore teachers often take the first few weeks of school to reacclimate students with school and classroom rules. This should also be done for safety rules as it relates to getting to and from the bus stop as well as for those students who walk to school.
Parents should remind their children of the following safety tips to help them avoid incidents on the way to and from school.
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Always use a sidewalk. Walking on the sidewalk is the best and safest way you can get to and from the bus stop or your school building. If a road you need to walk on does not have a sidewalk you should always walk on the shoulder of the road or better yet in someone’s yard, especially on busy roads.
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Cross the street at a crosswalk or where there are traffic lights. If you need to cross the street to get to your destination you will want to make sure there is a crosswalk or traffic lights to control the flow of traffic. Better yet, if there is an intersection that is patrolled by a crossing guard, your child should be reminded to cross there at all times.
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Always allow the bus to come to a complete stop before boarding it. This is an important one to follow as it can be tempting for a rider to try to get on the bus before it comes to a complete stop, but this can also lead to dangerous consequences including injury or death.
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When boarding the bus, make sure all loose clothing and backpack strings are tucked away and not hanging loose. Anything that gets caught in the bus can be a hazard and cause an injury.
The start of another school year can be exciting for parents and kids alike, but it can quickly go from exciting to troubling if there is an incident getting to and from school that leaves your child injured. Reminding them of some simple safety tips may only take a few minutes, but it could be the difference between your child getting injured in a Connecticut auto accident or arriving at school safely and on time.
We here at Leighton, Katz, and Drapeau, LLC wish everyone a safe and happy school year!
