As children across Middlesex County head #backtoschool this week, they will again be sharing the roads with school buses, other young pedestrians, and bicyclists. Whether your children walk, ride their bike, or take the bus, help ensure they take the proper safety precautions.
Children who walk to school: When walking, stay on the sidewalk if one is available. If the street does not have a sidewalk, walk facing the traffic so as to have a clear view of the traffic. When crossing a street, look left, right and left again to see if any cars, buses, or bicyclists are coming. If possible, make a point to set time aside to practice walking their route to school. Together you can use pedestrians signals, ensure they are crossing streets correctly, and get a good idea of the path they are taking.
Children who bike to school: When riding a bike to and from school, children should always wear a proper fitted helmet and sneakers at all times. The same procedures apply when crossing the street. Riders must come to complete stop, look left, right and left again, and always walk their bike across the street. Parents should practice and teach children the rules of the road to help insure they get to school safe and sound.
Children who ride the bus to school: Rain or shine, the big yellow bus gets the children to school. To ensure a safe ride to school, make sure children stand six feet away from the curb when a bus is pulling up or driving away. Remind children to fasten their seat belts and to remain seated throughout the ride. While it’s exciting to chat with friends, children should keep screaming and jumping for the playground and home so that the driver can focus on the road.
Regardless of how children make their way to school, we wish everyone a safe and enjoyable school year!
