School-bus safety shouldn't be overlooked

This News By You article was submitted by Victor Rangel of the Phoenix Fire Department.

Now that children are back in school, the Phoenix Fire Department reminds parents to take certain precautions to keep them safe while walking or riding their bikes and waiting for buses.

School-bus-related crashes killed 150 people nationwide in 2006, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. From 1996 to 2006, 72 percent of those killed in these types of crashes were occupants of other vehicles. Twenty percent were pedestrians or bicyclists. School-bus occupants accounted for 7 percent of deaths related to school-bus accidents.

For both children and parents, school-bus safety should not be overlooked. It is crucial to know the traffic-safety rules.

Here are a few simple tips parents can teach their children to help keep them safe around buses:

• Arrive at the bus stop at least five minutes before the bus is to pick up the children.

• Always stand four giant steps back from the curb. When lining up, make the line away from the street.

• Never walk behind the bus.

• If children have to cross the street to reach the door, teach them to take at least six giant steps forward on the sidewalk before turning to cross the street. That way, the children and the bus driver can see each other.

• Teach children to look around them before they get onto and off the bus so as not to leave anything behind.

• Make children aware of the straps on their book bags, as well as any drawstrings that might be hanging from their clothes. These can easily get caught in the door or railings, so children need to take care to keep them secure.

• Tell children that if they do drop something near the bus, they need to tell the driver before they do anything. It is important to make sure the bus driver knows where they are at all times.