OCT2007-SCHOOL SAFETY WEEK

 

School bus safety: Give children the right of way

 

The year's theme for National School Safety Week is Give children the right of way — an important safety message from the Canada Safety Council to prevent school bus collisions in Canada.

 
Most injuries occur outside the bus

 

According to the Canada Safety Council, we rely on more than 20,000 school buses in Canada to bring our children to and from school every day. A ten year study by Transport Canada found that, between 1992 and 2001, school buses were involved a total of 145 fatalities (an average of 14.5 per year) and 9,359 personal-injury collisions (an average of 936 per year). Of those who were killed on or around school buses, only 5% were actually school bus passengers, 26% were pedestrians and 6% were bicyclists.

 

Drivers must follow safety guidelines around school buses

 

Abide by the school bus traffic laws.

- Keep a watchful eye for children running to catch their bus. They have been known to pay little regard for their own safety and may dart out in traffic.

- Respect the crossing guards and slow down in school zones.

- During the school year, be especially cautious during periods of the day when students are travelling to and from home.

- Keep a watchful eye for cyclists and pedestrians on roadways.

- When turning at intersections, watch out for students using the crosswalks.

- Teach your own children about safe conduct in roadways and on school buses.

For more information, visit the National School Safety Week page of the Canada Safety Council.

 

Source:  Canadian Health Network, Oct./2007