They come seemingly out of nowhere every single year. One day, the parks sidewalks and streets that were completely empty all summer long are swarming with kids and teens. It’s the signal that the new school year has started and the kids who have spent all summer hibernating inside or lazing by the pool are now walking, biking and even driving to school 5 days a week. We are sure that last mode of transportation made you shudder a little, but fear not. Thanks to the National Safety Council, we have plenty of helpful safety tips for keeping kids and teens out of harm’s way when school begins.
Walking Safety Tips
- Nowadays absolutely everyone has a cell phone, including kids. It’s extremely important to tell kids who walk to school to resist the temptation to walk while staring into their phones and stay alert for motorists and other people on foot.
- There are times when they might absolutely have to use their phones on the way to school, so teach them to stop, step away from others, use their phone at a safe place and be brief.
- Children and teens should never walk to or from school with headphones on. If they do, they won’t be able to hear oncoming vehicles or other people around them.
- Young children should be taught as early as possible to look left, right and then left again before crossing the street and to do so only at crosswalks.
- Walking with a friend or a group is always better than walking alone.
Biking Safety Tips
- Cyclists are required to observe the same traffic rules and laws as motorists. If your kids are planning on biking to school, make sure they are aware of them.
- Every child and teenager on a bicycle should wear a helmet.
- All bikes should be equipped with reflectors on the on the back, front, pedals and spokes. Kids who play sports often find themselves traveling home at night after practice or a game.
- It’s just as important to look left, right and then left again when crossing the street on a bike as it is when walking.
- If riding with a friend, always go single file on the street.
Driving Safety Tips
- There are seatbelt laws in place in almost every state but it’s important for parents to insist teens get into the habit of always wearing them and making sure anyone else in the car with them does so as well.
- The same goes for cell phone use. Prohibiting cell phones in the car can help prevent accidents as well as costly traffic tickets.
- Teenage drivers are restricted from having passengers that are not their parents, legal guardians or immediate family members in most states. Unfortunately, this means carpooling to school is out of the questions until the age of 18 is reached. Make sure you understand the laws in your state and that your teen drivers know the consequences of breaking them.
- Teenagers who drive to school come in very close proximity to everyone else who is still walking or riding their bikes. They need to practice extreme precaution when arriving at and leaving school.
If you are looking to help instill some of these important safety tips in time for the new school year, Foremost Promotions has a Back to School Specialty Store filled with products that can help. Check out our collection today to see which promotional giveaway or educational handout is best for you.