Stay Safe Coming & Going From School
Whether you were homeschooled, attended public school, or a private school, the universal feeling of preparing to go back to school is inescapable – for students and parents alike. Unfortunately in recent years, the spread of general safety in and around schools has been a hot topic because of the increasing amount of unpredictable, dangerous situations. Keeping students safe should always be at the forefront of the mind, that’s why HealthCARE Express is here with back to school safety tips for students & parents in 2022. Keep reading to learn how to stay safe.
Transportation Safety
There are numerous ways students young and older get to school and regardless of if they’re a car rider, bus rider, walker, etc., safety in transportation from home to school, and vice versa, is crucial. Here is HealthCARE Express’ transportation safety checklist:
Car riders
- Listen to the staff members that are conducting traffic in the car line
- Listen to when your name is called, don’t walk out and look for your ride
- Pay attention to your surroundings
Bus riders
- For younger students, walk to the bus stop with your parent or trusted adult
- For younger students, hold their hand while crossing the street
- Stand at least 6 feet away from the curb
- If crossing the street after getting off of the bus, always walk about 10 feet in front of the bus. You and your bus driver should be able to make eye contact when crossing the street
- Wait until the bus comes to a complete stop before getting on or off
- When riding the bus, always remain seated until your stop
- Do not shout or distract the bus driver
Walkers
- Use the sidewalk whenever possible and walk on the edge of the street FACING traffic
- Use marked crosswalks when crossing the street and look left and right to ensure there are no cars coming
- Pay attention to your surroundings–even if it means putting your phone done!!!
- Make eye contact with drivers before crossing the street to make sure they see you
- Walk with other students if you walk to school
- Obey traffic signals
- Always use public streets or choose the safest streets to walk on
Bike Riders
- Always wear a bicycle helmet
- Obey the rules of the road
- Always stay on the right hand side of the road and drive the same direction of traffic
- Use appropriate hand signals
- Choose the safest roads to drive on
- Try to ride your bike with other people
- Pay attention to your surroundings
Driving yourself
- Obey the rules of the road
- Always be aware of your surroundings
- For new drivers, practice driving with an experienced driver first
- PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN
- Follow the speed limit
School Driving Zone
- Obey school zone rules including speed limits
- Make eye contact with anyone walking in front of you
- Never pass a school bus that is actively loading or unloading passengers
- Drive with care
- Watch for school crossing guards and obey their signals
- NEVER USE YOUR PHONE WHILE DRIVING – especially in school zones, unless you are parked
School Safety
The teaching and spread of school safety awareness has been around for decades, but as times change, so do the safety procedures. School safety rules are different for every school, so these tips are just a general rule of thumb, and on some of these tips, simply remember that kids will be kids.
Playground
- A trained employee must always be supervising the students when on the playground
- Do not attach ropes of any kind to playground equipment
- Be watchful of sharp edges or points on the playground
- Alert the school if you notice anything strange about the equipment
- Use guardrails provided on the playground
- Do not throw dirt, woodchips, sticks, etc on the playground
- Obey all the rules set by your school
- Try to not allow your students to jump out of swings
School Supplies
- Something that often gets overlooked is the support of your backpack. Your backpack should have wide straps and padding in the back and shoulders to prevent back, neck, and/or shoulder strains
- Use both backpack straps
- Always get nontoxic art supplies
- Place heavier items in your backpack first. The closer heavier items are to your back, the less strain it will cause
Clothing
- Remove drawstrings from jackets, sweatshirts, etc. to avoid possibility of strangulation
- Wear comfortable clothing and shoes
- Make sure your students wears weather-appropriate clothing
Safety Tips Specific to Students
- Obey all safety rules inside and outside of the classroom
- Be KIND to others
- Pay attention to your surroundings at all times
- Make sure you never play or push other people around specifically around traffic
- Learn flashing light signals and hand motions
- Be smart about your safety
Safety Tips Specific to Parents
- Be responsible for your child
- Make sure to teach them safety tips including “stranger danger” and what to do in emergencies
- Set the example by following these safety tips
- Speak up when you see something you deem unsafe
HealthCARE Express Wants You To Be Safe
Let’s face it. There are many scary, unpredictable things that could happen in this world. But thankfully, there are also many different things to do in order to stay safe throughout this school year, and it all starts with you. Here at HealthCARE Express, it is our mission to ensure our customers have all the tools and information they need to lead safe and healthy lives. Feel free to visit our website to find a location near you, view our many services, learn about our Urgent Care careers, and more. We look forward to hearing from you, and remember it’s safe to be safe.
