MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) -
Students are still in back to school mode today as they settle into their new school routines. Your child's jitters may be gone, they've met their teachers and classmates, found their way to their new classrooms and are beginning to establish a routine.
Experts say that once your child gets comfortable with that routine, it's a good time to start reintroducing school safety tips to them. And even if you think your child knows what to do to be safe, it's important to remind them.
School bus safety is one of the big concern. In our area, we're all too familiar with tragedies at school bus stops. Last year, a five-year-old in Elmore County was struck and killed by a car at a bus stop. In 2010, an 8-year-old child was run over by the bus when it dropped her off at her home in Florala.
Safety experts say that you should remind your child to wait for the bus in a safe place away from the road and not to run or play while waiting.
Also remind your child to wait until the bus stops completely before walking up to it, and when the child gets off the bus, make sure they don't linger. Also teach your child to never bend down to pick up something that was dropped near the bus. Instead, wait until the bus is gone.
Encourage your child to always stay seated on the bus and never talk to strangers when they are waiting for or when they get off the bus.
In addition to school bus safety, parents should teach their children how to cope with bullies by not giving in to their demands and by walking away. If that doesn't work, talk to a teacher.
It's also important to put together a family emergency plan, should something happen to you or your child during the school day.
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