Southeast Polk Observes National School Bus Safety Week October 22-26

National School Bus Safety Week is an active and evolving public education program and an excellent way for parents, students, teachers, motorists, school bus operators, school administrators, and other interested parties to join forces and address the importance of school bus safety.

Dan Schultz, Southeast Polk Director of Transportation shared, “We are committed to providing safe and dependable transportation for our students to and from school as well as to off-campus activities. Approximately 3575 Southeast Polk students rely on our team of dedicated bus drivers and mechanics every school day. Our buses and other vehicles cover 110 square miles, traveling a combined 840,000 miles per year.”

The Southeast Polk Transportation Department is an active participant of the National Standards Committee of the National Congress for School Transportation which sets stringent standards for school buses to assure the safety of our young passengers and the other drivers with who we share the roads.

The American School Bus Council shares 12 ways to keep students safe in and around the school bus.

1. Show children how and when to stay at a safe distance.
2. Younger children should be supervised at the bus stop.
3. Children who rush are particularly vulnerable, so make sure to get to the bus stop early.
4. Show children how to stay three giant steps away from the road until the school bus comes to a complete stop and the door opens.
5. Children should never walk behind the school bus.
6. Children who cross in front of the school bus should stay at least five giant steps (10 feet) away from it and make sure that the bus driver sees them before they step off the curb.
7. Teach children to wait until no cars are coming from either direction before they cross the street.
8. Make eye contact with the driver and wait for the OK signal to cross the road.
9. Explain to children why conversations and play time should wait until they are safely seated, or safely away from the school bus.
10. Children should use handrails when getting on and off the school bus and secure any loose or hanging objects, like straps or drawstrings.
11. If a child drops something outside the school bus, tell them to NEVER try to pick it up. They should always tell the driver and wait for his or her instructions.
12. Children should not yell while riding the school bus. The bus driver needs to be able to hear other vehicles on the road.

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