BURRILLVILLE – It’s that time of year again. Summer vacation comes to an end, and kids are headed back into the classrooms.
This Sunday feature reminds children about the importance of following safety rules while waiting for the school bus, and also what to do when the bus arrives at their pick up locations. The popular Bus Stop Kids cartoon characters remind kids to always wait for the school bus to come to a complete stop before crossing the street, and to wait for the school bus monitor to help them cross safely. Kids should never just cross the street when the bus is approaching from the opposite direction. It’s dangerous and can be hazardous.
If you are a licensed teenager or adult, and you approach a school bus with flashing lights, make sure that you stop for the visible stop sign facing oncoming traffic. Little kids are prone to quick and impulsive actions sometimes, and if you disobey the school bus and bus stop safety laws, a child could be injured, or worse, because you want to be somewhere a few minutes early. School is back in session and if you need to be at work or appointments then allow yourself some extra time and leave earlier than you would during the summer vacation months. School buses and students waiting for buses are everywhere. It’s not worth the risk to a child and school bus monitor if you decide to drive past a school bus with flashing lights and displayed stop sign. Use caution while driving as soon as you see the initial yellow flashing lights informing you that the school bus is approaching a bus stop before those lights begin to flash red.
Utilize this Bus Stop Kids cartoon characters cartoon while coloring with your children, and talk to them about their safety. Communication is key to making sure that your kids understand the safety hazards they will be facing every school day throughout the year. These weekly coloring cartoons and articles open doors to these discussions with your family. School’s open: slow down, don’t text and drive, and always drive with caution, especially where you see kids waiting for school buses at their morning bus stops.
Let’s have a safe school year and remember to be safer just like the Bus Stop Kids.
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.
Awesome work!