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Back-to-school safety

As the back-to-school season approaches, Stead Family Children’s Hospital Injury Prevention Team and Safety Store offer some tips to help keep children safe throughout the school year.

Published Aug. 16, 2023
• Reviewed by a UI Health Care Provider
on July 17, 2024

Transportation Safety Tips

For walkers

  • Choose safe routes: Teach your child to walk on the sidewalk whenever possible. If there’s no sidewalk, teach your child to walk facing traffic to be aware of oncoming vehicles.  

  • Crossing streets: Before crossing the street, children should stop and look left, right, and left again to watch for cars. 

  • Eye contact: Instruct your child to make eye contact with drivers before they cross the street to help ensure that drivers see them before crossing the street. 

  • Stay alert: Distracted walking can be dangerous. Teach your child to stay alert by keeping phones and other distractions away while walking. 

For bike riders

  • Wear a helmet: Make sure your child always wears a properly fitted helmet and bright clothing. Helmets are sold at the Safety Store. 

  • Lane safety: Your child should ride on the right side of the road, in the same direction as traffic. They should maintain a single-file formation with other cyclists. 

  • Crossing the street: Instruct your child to stop before crossing the street, and to walk their bike across the street. 

For bus riders

  • Bus stop etiquette: Go to the bus stop with your child to teach them how to get on and off the school bus safely. 

  • Maintain distance: Teach your child to stand at least six feet away from the curb on the sidewalk for safety reasons. 

  • Bus riding etiquette: Inform your child to stay seated facing forward, and to speak in soft voices to not distract the bus driver. 

  • Safely crossing the street: If crossing the street in front of the bus is necessary, teach your child to walk on the side of the road until they are ten feet ahead of the bus. This ensures both the child and the bus driver can see each other. 

For parents driving their children

  • Observe speed limits: Obey school zone speed limits and follow the designated drop-off procedures.  

  • Be alert: Make eye contact with children who are crossing the street to ensure their safety. 

  • School bus safety: Never attempt to pass a school bus that is loading or unloading children. Maintain a safe distance—at least ten feet—from the school bus to allow children to safely enter and exit the bus. 

For teen drivers

  • Practice regularly: Inexperience is a common cause of teen crashes. Practice driving with your teen every week, before and after they get their license. 

  • Set a good example: Drive the way you would like your teen to drive.  

School Safety Tips

Backpack safety

  • Manage weight: A backpack should weigh no more than 5% to 10% of your child’s body weight to avoid strain. 

  • Use both straps: Encourage your child to use both straps to distribute the weight evenly on their shoulders. 

  • Watch for rolling backpacks: While convenient, rolling backpacks should be used cautiously since they can create trip hazards in crowded hallways. 

Playgrounds and sports

  • Avoid hazards: Leave necklaces and jackets with drawstrings at home to prevent strangulation hazards on playgrounds. 

  • Avoid hot playground equipment: Teach your child to avoid playing on hot playground equipment, as burns can occur if the playground equipment is too hot from the sun. 

  • Head injury awareness: While minor bumps are common in sports, head injuries should never be ignored. Prompt attention is crucial. 

Prepare your child for a safe and healthy school year by following these tips. Visit the Safety Store for more tips and products to help keep your child safe.