School bus safety tips Archives - Page 2 of 2

Importance of School Bus Safety Tips

Posted on February 1, 2017 by TSB Super Admin

For most students, a normal school day starts and ends with a school bus trip. School buses are always considered as the safest means of transportation for school students. But, there are some school bus safety concerns involved.

For school buses to continue being safe, there are certain school bus safety rules and tips that drivers, parents and students should be aware of.

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School Bus Safety Facts You Should Know About

They are as follows:

School bus safety tips for drivers:

Look out for children walking or bicycling to school while entering or leaving a garage
Use the horn as an extra precaution
Watch out for young people who never care about speeding and safety
Try to slow down, especially when a child is walking near the bus
Always be alert, which can subsequently reduce the number of accidents
Do not try to load or unload children across the street
Stop the school bus where you will have the best view of the railway tracks. Be sure that you are never closer than 15 feet or farther than 50 feet from the tracks.
Always keep your hands in a proper driving position for the safety of students as well as you
Before starting the trip, check the school bus thoroughly to identify the mechanical issues existing in the bus

School bus safety tips for children:

Keep your head and arms inside the school bus
Reach the bus stop earlier than the scheduled time of the school bus
When the bus reaches the stop, stand at least 6 feet away from the curb and line up. The queue should not extend to the road
Wait for the bus to stop, open the door and board the bus only when the driver assures that it is safe to get on the bus
If, by chance, something drops to the ground while boarding the bus, do not try to pick it up. Instead, inform the driver about it
While crossing in front of the bus:

a. Make sure that you are at least 10 feet away from the bus
b. Make sure that you can see the bus and the driver can see you

Use handrails to avoid falling. Also, make sure thee uniform doesn’t get caught in the handrails or doors while boarding or getting off the bus
Never walk behind the bus. If you have to cross the road, do it only when the bus is stopped and has lights flashing
Walk at least 3 feet away from the sides of the bus
While crossing the road, look left, right and then left again
When you wait for the bus, pay attention to the surroundings

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School Bus Safety Tips for First Time Rider

School bus safety tips for parents

Teach safety rules to children
Familiarize yourself with school bus drivers
Assure that students do not go to bus stops without adult supervision
Make sure that children know the bus number and the time at which school bus is scheduled to arrive
Make sure that the child arrives the bus stop early
Tell your child to follow every instruction given by a school bus driver
Practice a good pedestrian behavior with your child
Never allow the child to play at the bus stop
Advise children to look to the right before getting off the school bus

School bus laws

1. Yellow flashing lights show that the school bus has stopped for the purpose of loading or unloading children. By seeing this indication, motorist should slow down and stop their vehicles.

2. Red flashing lights and extended arms indicate that the bus has stopped and children are getting on or off the bus. By seeing this indication, motorists should stop their vehicles until the red lights stop flashing and extended sign is withdrawn.

Reinforcing school safety tips and teaching the importance of the following them play an integral part in protecting the children from accidents and injuries.

All the above mentioned tips will definitely help you to have a safe and secure school bus trip. This indeed reduces the unwanted fear, anxiety and tension of both parents and school authorities.

20 Must-know School Bus Safety Tips for School Bus Drivers

Posted on November 23, 2016 by TSB Super Admin

At an initial glance school bus might not seem different from other buses, but there are vast differences between school bus and other buses.

Compared to driving by themselves or riding with friends, students are about 50 times more likely to arrive at school alive on a school bus.

School bus, no doubt is the ultimate solution for safe transportation of children to and from school. There are a lot of factors that adds to the school bus safety.

From GPS tracking to RFID tags, school bus attains full points as far as safety of children is measured.

School bus driver plays a vital role in managing and maintaining the school bus. There are guidelines for the school bus driver to be followed.

The task of picking up of students from stops and dropping them off at school are managed by the school bus drivers. They also transport students and faculty to field trips or sporting events.

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How to Handle Emergencies? Tips for School Bus Drivers

School bus drivers often work split shifts of mornings and afternoons. They hold a very important responsibility of transportation of the students.

The role of drivers might appear small but there are a lot of things that drivers must concentrate on.

School Bus Safety tips for school bus drivers

1. Usually drivers follow a strict time schedule, but under no circumstances safety should be sacrificed to maintain schedule
2. The driver should be well aware that he represents the school so he must display a clean personality with good behavior
3. Leave at the right time to the bus stop, don’t rush
4. Should concentrate on moving traffic
5. Pay attention to the traffic and safety measures, do not listen to music player, do not play handheld video games which can lead to distractions and accidents
6. Never wear hood while driving as it can make difficulty in hearing and seeing traffic
7. Ensure that all the children are safely seated before starting the bus
8. Be courteous and show respect to children
9. Be friendly to children but concentrate more on road while driving
10. Stop for picking and dropping of children
11. Drive with the headlights on, even during day time
12. Be prepared to act accordingly during emergency situation
13. Deal with the public in a positive, courteous and respectful manner
14. Remain alert for ice, debris, or slippery spots
15. Alerts about bad weather should be noticed
16. If the bus is trapped on tracks, evacuate the bus immediately
17. The speed should always be under control
18. Do not rush to reach the destination fast, always put safety prior to schedule
19. After every drive, bus drivers should check all seats and interior
20. Do not smoke or consume alcohol inside the school bus

Here are the 20 safety tips for school bus drivers shown in the form of Slideshare presentation:

Primary Responsibilities of the school bus drivers

• Transportation of the children to and from school
• Transportation on scheduled time and route
• Before operating the bus, ensure the functioning of the bus. Check the bus tires, breaks, lights, and oil.
• Helping disabled children to enter and exit the bus
• Ensuring that children are seated before the bus starts
• Keenly following the traffic rules
• Informing the passengers of any delay
• Staying updated about the latest driving rules
• Remain alert for ice, debris, or slippery spots
• Emergency numbers must be kept with the drivers
• Drive students and staff members to field trips, sporting events, and other outdoor activities

Knowledge and skills

The driver should possess combination of thorough knowledge, skills and abilities.

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Driver’s knowledge should include

• All routes including the highways
• School bus regulations
• Dealing with children
• Dealing with children of special needs
• Scheduling system and procedures
• Record keeping system
• Equipment cleaning standards and procedures

Skills and abilities of the driver

• Operating the school bus in a safe and responsible manner
• Skills of client service and public interaction
• Team building
• Problem solving skill
• Quick decision making capability
• Verbal and listening skill
• Ability to write and read
• Stress management
• Time management

There are some must follow qualities for being a perfect school bus driver

• Honesty and trustworthy
• Respectfulness
• Cultural awareness and sensitivity
• Should be flexible
• Demonstrate sound work ethics

Special direction for the drivers to follow

There are some school bus safety measures that must be followed by the by school bus drivers.

• The driver should not leave the bus with motor running
• While children are on the bus, driver should never fill the gasoline tank
• No one other than authorized people should drive the school bus
• Driver should not merchandise animals, weapons, or other loads or attachments when transporting children
• There must be a back up bus in the school
• Move the bus only after all the riders are seated
• Do not consume alcohol before driving
• Report to the concerned authority if there are unmanageable pupils
• Never put the child to walk home
• Never use abusive language
• While transporting pupils, driver shall not exceed 15 m.p.h
• Promptly file all reports, routes, schedules and instructions for picking and dropping

25 School Bus Safety Tips For Kids

Posted on November 23, 2016 by TSB Super Admin

When you gamble with safety, you bet your life

School bus is said to be the safest mode of transportation for students existing today. Encouraging importance of school bus safety tips to parents and kids is given top priority by every school authorities. Roughly, there are about twenty five million children transported to school via big yellow buses.

Obviously, injuries can happen if the child is careless and hasty while getting on or off the school bus. By discussing school bus safety rules to children, parents can help to avert some of the avoidable accidents. It is essential to teach kids about various safety rules and regulations.

http://trackschoolbusnextjs.technoallianceindia.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/School-Transport-Manager-App-banner

Following are the 25 school bus safety tips for kids:

1. Arrive at the bus stop prior to scheduled school bus time. It is better to arrive at least 5 minutes earlier

2. Stand at least ten feet away from the edge of the road

3. Wait until the school bus stops, the door gets opened and the driver says okay to get on the bus

4. Assure yourself no objects from the bag is dangling which get caught either in the handrails or doors while entering or exiting the bus

5. Check the road for other vehicles before stepping off the bus

6. Never stand closer than 10 feet to the bus as drivers will not be able to see you. Hence, stay out of the danger zone

7. Always be alert to traffic. Look left, right and then left before crossing the road

while getting on or off the bus

8. Stay in a safe place away from the street while waiting for the bus

9. Never try to pick up things which are near or under the bus, warn the driver before picking it

10. Remember to cross the road in front of a bus rather than to cross behind the bus

11. Stay seated and sit quietly when the bus is moving

12. Wait for the driver’s signal to crossing

13. Do not make loud noises that may distract the driver

14. Use the handrail when exiting the bus

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15. Always stay away from the rear wheels of the bus

16. Wait until the bus to stop completely, for getting up from the seat

17. Keep the bags and other belongings out of the aisles

18. Keep head, hands and arms inside the window

19. Never wait for the bus on the road. Instead, wait on the sidewalk

20. Avoid violent or careless behavior when getting on the bus

21. Students should not carry anything that may cause injury to others

22. Do not throw objects inside the bus

23. Let the smaller children board first

24. Do not attempt to use emergency doors or exit controls without supervision or permission from drivers

25. Never fight with other students inside the school bus

Watch our Youtube video on State of the Art School Bus Safety by TrackSchoolBus

School bus safety for kids is something which cannot be ignored. The safety of their child is the first thing that comes to a parent’s mind, especially when entrusting child care to someone else. This is the case of thousands of children in the school bus. Hence it is essential to assure student safety.

Students can protect themselves by closely following safety rules and careful observation. Theres always a chance for improvement in the case of assuring safety. All the above twenty five tips help to keep school children more safe and pleasant. They will start to enjoy the school bus trip with increased safety.

To get the PDF version of this blog : Download Here

School Bus Safety: Rules for Kindergarten Students

Posted on July 11, 2016 by TSB Super Admin

Is your kid’s first day to kindergarten nearby? He / she will be excited to meet new friends, teachers, school as well as trip from and to school in school bus. What about school bus safety? Students begin and end their day with a trip on a school bus. Is your kid trained to be safe at and around the school bus?

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Many accidents and injuries can be prevented by teaching kids about good behavior while riding in bus. Students are recommended by the National Safety Council (NSC) to take the bus rather than walking or riding with teenagers or parents. The Council recognizes that more school children are killed outside of the bus, during loading and unloading operations than on the bus.

Though the child will learn those safety lessons at school, it is a parent’s responsibility to make their child aware of these safety concerns.

While bus drivers will be alert with safe driving, students should be careful of their surroundings in order to avoid injuries. The following is a list of safety rules advised by the NSC to teach children while getting on and off the bus. Some of these rules are also aimed at good school bus behavior.

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Certain School Bus Safety Tips You Should Teach Your Child

It would be easy if you can take a picture of a school bus and show them the safety rules with images. Visual representation will stay in mind more than just words

Do not run. Let the bus stop and the door open
Get on to bus one at a time. Do not rush
After boarding the bus, remain in your seat facing forward when the school bus is moving.
Obey your school bus driver’s instructions
Don’t make loud noises. It will distract the driver from driving
While boarding as well as exiting, use the handrail
Collect your belongings before you reach the stop
Do not leave your bags or books in the aisle. It will interrupt the way for other students
Stay in your seat till the driver stops the bus completely
Cross the road only after the driver permits you to do so
While crossing, make sure to look right and left to ensure no vehicle is passing by

Go over these school bus safety rules again and again. As your kid’s first day of school will be something very new, you can also meet them at school just to make sure that the kid is riding safe in bus.

How to Teach Students the Importance of School Bus Safety

Posted on June 3, 2016 by TSB Super Admin

A positive school bus environment is key to fostering healthy child development and high level learning and is directly linked to student academic performance”

One of the important aspects of student transportation is safety. School bus is the vehicle that assures safety the most to students. In order to keep their bus safe, students play an important role. School bus environment is a completely different environment for them. Sometimes they may sing, play and shout inside the school bus.

Most of the kids who are having attention and learning issues may be the victims of school bus bullying. They are responsible for their own safety as well as their fellow students. With the help of school bus safety tips, teachers, students and school authorities are able to ensure safety in school transportation.

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Here follows certain ways by which the importance of school bus safety can be taught among parents, teachers and students:

Conduct Mock Drills

Mock drills can be conducted to ensure school bus safety. This demonstration helps the students to prepare for the danger awaiting them in school transportation. They will get an awareness regarding school bus safety tips.

Such mock drills can be conducted by school bus drivers. They can explain the proper procedures to be followed by students to safely evacuate from the bus at the time of emergency. Students should be taught about how to exit the bus from the rear door.

Students must listen carefully and follow the instructions from the driver during emergency situations. The mock drills become successful only when there is full participation from students, parents and school authorities.

Create Awareness among Teachers and Parents

Teachers play a vital role in assuring school bus safety. First of all they should have proper awareness about safety. They are responsible for teaching students about good behavior, providing proper discipline and supporting students.

Teachers should have proper awareness about school bus safety tips. With the help of safety experts, teachers can be taught about school bus safety and its importance. With this knowledge, they can provide guidance to students.

Parents also have great concern towards student safety. They can make their child aware about various safety rules. There are so many safety tips and issues that parents are unaware of. Safety experts help them to understand and realize about it.

Use Gaming Apps

It is a world of gaming apps. Students will be more interested in apps rather than giving them boring lessons. Hence it is a good idea to popularize games that teach school bus rules which indeed help children familiarize with various safety protocols.

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Use Pamphlets or Notices

Distributing notices or pamphlets with interesting graphics related to school bus safety can easily grab the attention of students. Such notices can influence the students in following various safety tips. It is highly informative to the students as well as parents.

Use Signs or Indications

It is very much useful and valuable if you keep signs at the right places which attract attention of students. This can give them a proper warning regarding dangers. And it also helps them to get prepared whenever they are trapped in danger.

School bus discipline is one of the major issues faced by drivers. They are responsible for the conduct of the students and school bus is the extension of school.

Managing and controlling student behavior on the school bus is a team effort involving teachers, drivers, parents and school authorities. For maintaining a safe environment, it is essential to teach students about the importance of school bus safety.

6 Ways School Bus Driver Route App Provides Safety

Posted on April 21, 2016 by TSB Super Admin

"Anyone can drive a car but it takes someone special to drive a school bus!”

School bus transportation and its safety are what matters most to parents as well as school authorities. Student safety is not the responsibility of school bus driver alone. Everyone, including students, has a unique role to play in assuring safety.

With the introduction of school bus driver console app , driving has become easier for drivers. Using the app, they are able to have better control over each school bus ride. Also, it helps to keep the bus under surveillance from inside, helps mark attendance, assists in planning route, makes coordination with transport manager easy, etc.

Drivers are able to perform multiple tasks with minimum disturbance. School Bus Driver Route app is a great solution for managing school buses in an effective and efficient manner.

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How can Driver Console App help School Transportation

Here are the six ways school bus driver console app provides safety:

1. Navigation or Trip Planning

School bus driver console app allows drivers to plan each trip carefully and easily. Your bus driver can set routes, set the number of stops in a single trip, etc., allowing the driver to decide beforehand and act wisely according to your plan.

The Driver Console app shows the profiles of students to be picked from each stop in an organized way. Drivers are able to select the shortest route from their console and thus plan the trip properly.

2. Speed Monitoring

Bus speed can be monitored in real-time using the app. That is, parents as well as school authorities can check out whether the school bus is over speeding or if they are making unnecessary stops. Hence it is possible to keep an eye on drivers and send alerts to them if necessary.

One of the biggest benefits offered by the app is to get an idea about the good and bad driving habits of drivers.

3. Providing Live-Cam Feed

Multiple cameras are installed in buses which give driver live feed of students on board. Drivers can view what's happening in the school bus through this console with the help of school bus driver route app. It is very advantageous for drivers as they are able to observe children without leaving their seat.

Live cam feed saves time and at the same time adds safety and is convenient to the driver.

4. Taking School Bus Attendance

App assists drivers in taking school bus attendance. By using the app, drivers can easily spot missing child in the school bus. As the students board the school bus, attendance will be taken.

Driver console contains details of each student who are boarding from a particular stop. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) cards will be provided to each student and with the help of those cards, student attendance can be taken.

Taking school bus attendance is the greatest benefit offered by the app as it gives instant warning to drivers, parents and other school authorities if a student is missing.

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5. Make Important Announcements

With the help of driver console, important announcements can be delivered to students. Drivers are able to interact with the students through the driver route app which indeed gives them provision to make important announcements.

Hence the app helps drivers to maintain discipline inside the school bus. Similarly, transport managers are also able to play audio on the bus and thus make announcements as well as play informational audio.

6.Revolutionize School Bus Driver Experience

With the innovative school bus driver route app, school bus drivers are able to enjoy and have better control of the school bus. Technology has made driving an easier and safe one. The app makes it easy for the driver to stay in control.

Introduction of Driver Console app has opened up a new and enjoyable driving experience to drivers. Risk and tension of parents, teachers and drivers are reduced to the minimum.

School Bus Safety Facts You Should Know About

Posted on March 24, 2016 by TSB Super Admin

Some parents think that driving their kids to school is a safer option than sending them on the school bus. Of course, when you are in the driver’s seat you are in control of the situation, and you might feel that giving your child a chance to ride on a school bus won’t offer you that same assurance.

In fact, school buses are the safest mode for getting children to and from school. However, injuries might happen if children are not careful while getting on and off the bus.

While getting on and off the school bus many children are prone to injuries each year. Issues like irresponsible drivers, horseplay, careless street crossing and even clothing might cause accidents.

Parents can prevent avoidable accidents by reminding children about School Bus Safety rules at the beginning of the academic year.

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Here are some valuable tips for School Bus Safety.

Students should Follow while Riding a School Bus:

Try to reach the bus stop five minutes early. Never run to or from the bus.
Make sure to stand at least 10 feet away from the edge of the road. Have patience, when the bus comes. You could wait until the door opens, and the driver says, it’s alright to step onto the bus.
Never allow your clothing and drawstrings and bags with straps to get caught in the handrail or door when exiting the bus.
Make sure that there are no vehicles on both ways before stepping off the bus.

Students while Crossing Should:

Don’t walk behind the bus; always walk in front of the bus.
Always walk on the pavement to a point at least 10 big steps ahead of the bus.
Make sure the bus driver can see the students, and the students can see the bus driver as well.
Cross the road when you get the driver’s signal.

Do not allow elementary students to cross busy streets; provide stops on both sides instead.

Things Children Ought to Know about School Bus Safety:

If you are standing closer than 10 feet to the bus, the bus driver as well as others cannot see you. Try to stay out of the danger zone.
If something falls close to the bus, tell the driver. Never attempt to pick it up yourself!
When you wait for the bus, stay in a safe place far from the road.
If you miss the bus, do not run after the bus. The chances of falling under the bus are high owing to this careless action.
When you get on or off the bus, look left, right, left before you enter or cross the road. Be watchful of traffic!
When you get a signal from the driver that it is safe to cross; make sure to cross in front of the bus.
Never distract the driver by playing games like horseplay. Try to sit on your seat quietly.

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10 Steps Schools Must Take To Ensure School Bus Transportation Safety

Things Parents Ought to know about School Bus Safety:

For highway transportation, school buses are the safest form.
Getting on and off the bus is the most risky part of the school bus ride.
School bus occupant fatalities are less when compared to pedestrian fatalities.
All positions of the bus is not visible to the driver, children are prone to danger in this area. Hence, it is the “Danger zone”. (i.e., Ten feet in front of the bus is not visible to the driver because the driver is sitting too high to see the child. Also, ten feet on each side of the bus as well as the area behind the bus is not visible to the driver. This is driver’s blind spot)
The children between 5 and 7 years old are victims to bus related accidents.

Kids are Easy to be Struck because they:

Are impatient to get on and off the bus.
Have no experience with traffic
Think motorists will see them and allow them to cross the road.
Do not stay within the sight of the bus drivers.

More Rules on Safety:

Keep your hands and feet to yourself.
Be polite and respectful to others while riding on the bus.
Do not use chewing gum or eat candy while on the bus.
Avoid animals on the bus.
Avoid glass objects on the bus.
Say no to weapons and potentially harmful materials on the bus.
Avoid balloons, skateboards and other unsecured items on the bus.
Kids should always wear their I.D. tags.
Make sure to label clothing, bags, etc. with name, phone number and school.
Put all waste in garbage cans.

School Bus Safety Tips for First Time Rider

Posted on March 7, 2016 by TSB Super Admin

It is a known fact that riding to school bus is safer than riding in a personal vehicle. Yet there will be some degree of anxiety and fear in the minds of parents. First time riders as well as parents will be equally anxious about school bus transportation. They will face so many difficulties in understanding the norms and rules of school bus transportation. In the case of first time riders, everything will be new for them.

It is obvious that parents worry about their child if they are going to school for the first time. They worry about how their child recognizes the bus number, bus driver and how they interact with others. Once they learn their routine, school bus would offer them an opportunity for growth and independence.

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There are certain tips to first time riders for carefully handling such situations:

Always Try to Stay Calm

It is better for parents to remain calm. If they are nervous, it will naturally reflect on their children as well. Instead, they can tell their child how it is to travel in a bus, and stress the importance of listening to the directions of the bus driver.

Attend Orientation Programs

Many schools conduct orientation programs before the start of each academic year. Sometimes parents may accompany their children while they go to school for the first time. These orientation programs may help them to tackle this uneasy situation.

Know the Bus Stop and Route

Parents can tell the parents where is the bus stop and try to drive them in the same route the bus takes. This would give them an idea about the routes and where they have to wait for the bus.

Parents can Interact with Other Parents

Parents can communicate with other parents whose kids are also getting from the same bus stop. It would be particularly useful when one kid's parents are not able to monitor bus due to some inconvenience. Also, they can take shifts in bus monitoring.

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Review Bus Safety Rules and Behavioral Expectations

Parents can review rules that they heard in orientation programme they attended. Some of the rules to be advised for children by the parents are the following:

Be seated, never walk here and there while the bus is moving
Never hoot or shout inside the school bus
Do not throw head or hands outside the school bus window
Report to the bus driver if there is any problem
Be aware of the traffic once they get off the school bus
Walk several feet away from the bus so the driver could see you properly
Always try to cross in front of the school bus
Tell and alert the driver if they are going to pick up something near the bus

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Teach the Child about Go Home Rules

Teach children to tell the driver that they missed stop they are supposed to get down. Also tell them not to get down the stop unless their parents or designated adult are not at the stop.

Take Extra Precaution

Give the child a card which specifies their bus number, name, address, name of the guardian and phone number. Hence the child learns routine easily and quickly.

All the above school bus safety tips can be a great help to both parents as well as first time riders. It is the responsibility of parents to inculcate self confidence in the minds of their children.