August is a hectic time of the year when you have to transition your children’s late night summers back to waking up early for school or preparing them for dorm life. We want to make your life a little easier and provide you with some back to school/college tips.
Elementary and Middle School
- Make sure your kids know both parents’ cell numbers, their home address, and how to dial 911.
- Tell them to NEVER talk to strangers or accept rides from one.
- If your children walk to school, they should take the safest, familiar routes.
- It is highly recommended for your child to walk to school with a friend or classmate.
- For school bus safety, advise your kids to:
- Never stand near the wheels of the bus (no matter how addicting the nursery song is)
- Walk, and not run, to the bus
- Make sure your children stand in an area outside where the bus driver can always see them
- Kids should be sitting in a seat on the bus with all arms, legs, and head inside of the bus
High School
- If your teenager is driving to school, or anywhere for that matter, enforce them to wear their seat belts and to NEVER interact with their phones while driving.
- If your teenager is riding their bike to school, make sure they are wearing a helmet and that they are riding on the same side as traffic flow.
College
- Never leave expensive items in your car, whether they are noticeable or not.
- If your kid is going out of state for college, make sure they know the driving laws of that state.
- Know where you are allowed and not allowed to park on campus.
- Always be extra careful when driving on campus where pedestrians are constantly walking.
- If they plan on drinking, make sure their friend group has a designated driver.
- Know a person’s driving habits before letting them drive your car.
Parents
- You should take extra precaution of your driving during prime school hours when kids are going to or coming back from school. This includes school zones and residential areas.
- If your child has a car seat, make sure they are in it at all times.
- You need to know what the yellow and red bus signals mean:
Yellow flashing lights = The school bus is getting ready to stop so be prepared to slow down and stop
Red flashing lights and an extended stop sign = The school bus is stopped and children are getting on or off. Drivers in both directions must stop their vehicles and wait until the lights go off, the stop sign is back in place and the bus is moving before they can start driving again
