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๐ข๐ป๐ฒ ๐๐๐ + ๐ข๐ป๐ฒ ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ = ๐ ๐๐ถ๐ด ๐๐บ๐ฝ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ฑ๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป
A safe ride is the goal each day in Okaloosa County as more than 16,000 students use the School Bus as transportation between neighborhood and classroom. This week we are sharing tips here and on our social media to keep our students safe at the bus stop! Information about the 2022-23 National Safety Poster Contest can be found below!
School Bus Safety Tips
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- Have your children put everything they carry in a backpack or school bag so that they wonโt drop things along the way.
- Encourage them to wear bright, contrasting colors so they will be more easily seen by drivers.
- Make sure children leave home on time so they can arrive at the bus stop before it is due, ideally at least five minutes early. Running after or in front of a bus is dangerous.
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- Walk young children to the bus stop or encourage children to walk in groups. There is safety in numbers; groups are easier for drivers to see.
- Practice good pedestrian behavior: walk on the sidewalk, and if there is no sidewalk stay out of the street. If you must walk in the street, walk single file, face traffic and stay as close to the edge of the road as you can.
- Stop and look left, right and then left again if you must cross the street. Do the same thing at drive -ways and alleys. Exaggerate your head turns and narrate your actions so your child knows you are looking left, right and left.
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- Have children wait in a location where the driver can see them while driving down the street. Try to avoid waiting in a house or car.
- Do not let children play in the street. Playing with balls or other toys that could roll into the street is also dangerous.
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- Warn children that if they drop something getting on and off the bus, they should never pick it up. Instead, they should tell the driver and follow the driverโs instructions.
- Remind children to look to the right before they step off the bus.
- If you meet your child at the bus stop after school, wait on the side where the child will be
- dropped off, not across the street. Children can be so excited to see you after school that they dash across the street and forget the safety rules.
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Cell phones and other electronic devices are often permitted on the school bus as long as:
- They are in backpacks or other holders, keeping hands free to use handrails while boarding and departing the bus.
- Sound is muted or headphones, ear buds or similar devices are used.
- Content does not violate the law or school district policy and procedures.
- Use does not create a distraction for the driver.
National School Bus Safety Poster Contest
The National School Bus Safety Poster Contest invites students to create artwork that depicts school bus safety- related themes and promotes school bus safety. Each year the winning national posters are used to promote safer school transportation for everyone.
The 2022-23 National Safety Poster Contest theme is Safely Rolling to My Destination.
Students have until March 1, 2023 to create their posters. Past posters can be found here.
Involvement is simple. Complete information on poster contest guidelines, key dates, and submission information can be found by visiting the NAPT website.