Back to School: Expert Advice to Get Kids There Safely

Published 1:30 am Thursday, August 25, 2022

The new school year starts very soon. VashonBePrepared offers these tips for safely getting to and from school.

Walkers: Work out a route with your child in advance and, as much as possible, stick to sidewalks, if available, in order to stay out of traffic.

If there’s no sidewalk, teach your child to walk facing traffic. Of course, look left, right and left again when crossing a street, and always cross at crosswalks or intersections.

Teach alertness by asking your child to focus on traffic instead of their phone because distracted walking is just as risky as distracted driving.

Get flashing lights or reflective striped clothing for your child for better visibility as winter arrives.

Bike Riders: Remind your child to ride with traffic on the right side of the road, and in single file. Bike riders should always wear a helmet and bright clothing. Practice stopping before a crosswalk, and walking the bike across.

Bus Riders: Kids need to know that they should make sure the bus driver can see them. For example, the National Safety Council recommends teaching your child to stand three giant steps back from the curb.

Driving: Drivers should pay careful attention to school buses loading or unloading, with flashing red lights. No passing in either direction when the red lights are flashing. Obey school zone speed limits.

If you have a teen driving to school, practice with them to help them gain experience. Set a good example by driving the way you want your teen to drive.

Obey the law: In Washington, all motorists must stop when the red lights are flashing and the stop sign “paddle” is extended. That includes drivers traveling in the opposite direction on two-lane roads.

“This law was passed because some tragic accidents hurt or killed children,” said Billy Hoolahan, a 28-year veteran school bus driver on Vashon. “That’s easy to forget if you are running late for a ferry or something. We’ve even had drivers try to pull wide around the bus on the shoulder. That’s dangerous and against the law. So, the flashing lights and the stop sign are there to help you remember we do this to keep our kids safe.”