Tips for Keeping Your Kids Safe When School Starts

August is nearly half over, which means that school will be starting again soon.

In addition to buying new clothes and school supplies, parents and children alike should make sure they are safe and ready for going back to school. To help, the National Safety Council has released some tips for back-to-school safety.

Safe Driving

Parents, and all adults, have to remember that school is back in session in September. Make sure to follow all the rules of the road and to be especially vigilant around buses and in school zones. Slow to 20 miles per hour in front of a school, and never pass a parked bus. Make sure to keep your eyes on the road, and not on your phone. Keeping kids safe is worth a few more minutes on your drive.

Getting to School

There are three ways kids get to school: they walk, they're driven or they take the bus.

If you or someone else is driving your child, make sure they're safe and following the rules of the road.

For children who walk or ride their bikes to school, parents should make sure they are also following the rules. Teach them how to safely cross the street, and make sure they're wearing their helmets when they ride their bikes. And also tell them to not be looking at their phones while they're walking across the street, no matter how many Pokemon might be in the area.

Buses are safe, but children should still take precaution. Tell your kids to make sure they wear their seatbelts on the bus, if they are available. Children shouldn't stand up while the bus is moving, and should try not to do anything that will distract the driver.

Safety at School

There isn't much a parent can do to help their child once they're off at school for the day. However, you can impart on them important tips and make sure they're properly prepared.

First, make sure you choose a good backpack for your child. That Spider-Man backpack may look really cool, but make sure it won't hurt their backs, especially when loaded up with books. Good backpacks should have padded shoulders and should sit high up. A backpack should never be wider or longer than your child's torso, and shouldn't sit more than four inches below the waist.

The National Safety Council also points out that the larger a backpack is, the more likely a child is going to be to fill it. So a roomier backpack might not be the best idea. Help your child figure out what is essential for school, and leave the rest home.

The beginning of school is an exciting and fun time. Make sure it remains that way by helping your kids stay safe.