Back to school safety tips for kids

Before the first-day school bell rings, discuss these safety tips to help keep your child safe.

Safety tips for kids walking to school

While a fun and easy way to get in some exercise, there are some pedestrian safety tips to remember while walking to school.

• Map out a safe route on sidewalks and across crosswalks.
• Practice walking the route with your child before the first day of school.
• Talk about traffic and crosswalks, looking both ways and making sure a car comes to a full stop.
• Find schoolmates who live along the way and want to walk, too. Always have a buddy and never walk alone.
• Outfit your child with helpful safety gear, including reflective tape on backpacks, jackets or shoes.
• Stress that phones should be put away, and eyes forward and alert.
• Never talk to strangers and never get into vehicles with them.

Safety tips for kids biking to school

For some kids, riding a bike to school is convenient and fun. Review the following safety tips for bike riding.

• Find the safest route possible on well-lit streets with minimal traffic.
• Invest in safety gear, including bike lights and a properly fitting helmet.
• Wear reflective vests especially in the winter months when it's darker later during the morning and earlier in the evening.
• Discuss traffic rules and bike signaling.
• Don't bike alone and always have a buddy to ride with.

School bus safety tips

For most kids, the school bus is how they get to school. Remember to:

• Introduce yourself and your child to the bus driver.
• Go over what stop to get off at, along with what to do if your child accidentally gets off at the wrong stop.
• Explain the importance of always being in clear sight of the bus driver.

Check out additional school bus safety tips to help your child be in the know.

Tips for teens driving to school

Learning to drive is a rite of passage for most teens, but one that comes with increased responsibility. Here are a few reminders.

• Establish safe routes to and from school, and have your child practice driving the route with a licensed adult.
• Prohibit smartphone use while driving, which is now illegal in many states.
• Understand the state laws for teen driving such as passenger restrictions.
• Limit driver distraction by banning eating and drinking while driving.

Playground safety tips at school

School playgrounds are a fun place for kids with some simple playground safety tips.

• Talk about playground safety rules, such as making sure equipment is dry and taking turns.
• Help kids identify a specific adult to ask for help if they feel unsafe or have a difficult interaction with another child.
• Work with younger kids to help them memorize your contact information, specifically phone numbers of parents, other caregivers and emergency contacts.

School zone safety tips

Whether you are driving through a school zone or dropping a student off at school, extra attention is required. Be sure to look at all school zone signals. Here are a few driving reminders.

• Slow down and follow and obey the posted speed limits.
• Never pass other cars or school buses.
• Watch out for crossing guards and watch for their signals.
• Avoid texting or using cell phones while driving in a school zone or at any other time.
• Never change lanes in a school zone.
• Follow all school drop off procedures.
• Avoid handicap and emergency vehicle lanes or spaces when dropping off or picking up a student.