BURRILLVILLE – April school vacation week has ended and kids will be returning to classrooms again this week across the state and region after an absolutely gorgeous week of weather here in New England.
Kids still need to be aware of hazards when waiting for school buses at bus stops and crossing streets in order to board school buses safely. The popular Bus Stop Kids characters coloring cartoon helps remind children to stand in line safely and never push or shove other kids while waiting for school buses. They should also stand far enough back from streets and roadways to help prevent being struck by approaching vehicles traveling anywhere near their location. Never run across streets and always stop and look both ways for vehicles before crossing. Look left, then right, then left again, before crossing streets and roadways. After buses come to a complete stop and flashing red lights are visible do not attempt to approach that school bus. Always wait for the school bus monitor to exit the bus and assist you crossing any streets and roadways before doing so. The bus monitor is there to help keep you safer. Enter the school bus and immediately find a seat and sit down before the school bus driver drives to your school. Remain seated and never distract the school bus driver by talking too loud or making unnecessary noises or moving around from one seat to another. Stay seated at all times on buses until reaching your school every school day morning.
Follow any rules the school bus drivers and monitors tell you to insure your safety and everyone else’s safety on your school bus. Following these Bus Stop Kids safety tips can help you stay safer at bus stops and inside school buses.
Jim Weicherding is a Burrillville resident, and the founder and creator of an award-winning traffic safety effort Seasons of Safety. Weicherding contributes kids’ coloring cartoons, which can be printed and used to help parents discuss safety issues with their children. He has a long list of police officers and firefighters in his family and has worked with law enforcement and firefighters in a creative public safety capacity for more than two decades.
