Remember the old commercials for the office supply store, where parents danced and frolicked through its aisles while a pair of grade school-aged cherubs stood looking morose?
Playing in the background? “It’s the most wonderful time/of the yeeaaarrrrr…”
It is the most wonderful time of the year, especially if you’re a parent who’s run out of ideas to keep the kids entertained all day, if you’ve had enough of the swim club’s soggy sandwiches and you’ve given up any pretense of trying to limit Little Susie’s screen time.
School — salvation! — is just around the corner, parents. And in some communities, it’s already here.
Ring the bell:South Jersey schools are opening soon. When is your child’s first day?
Of course, not everyone is pushing a kid out the door and onto a school bus. Some of us are just trying to get to work on time, and those big yellow conveyances are slowing things down.
It’s OK. Let them do their thing. Besides, why be in a hurry to get to work?
Here are some tips for getting around while buses hit the road again, courtesy of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Safety tips for parents and children getting on and off the school bus:
- The NHTSA advises students to be waiting at the bus stop at least five minutes before its scheduled arrival. Caretakers can bring young children to the bus before the school year begins and explain safety and acclimate them to the bus stop. Students should stand at least 10 feet — five giant steps is an easy guide — away from the curb. Remind kids that the bus stop isn’t a safe place to run or play.
- Children should wait until the bus comes to a complete stop, the door opens and the driver says it’s OK, before stepping forward to get on or off the bus. Handrails are there to help students avoid tripping or falling on steep bus steps.
- Never walk behind a school bus — and make sure children know never to do so.
- If kids need to cross the street in front of the bus, tell them to walk on the sidewalk or side of the street to a place at least 10 feet (five giant steps) in front of the bus before crossing. And tell kids to make eye contact with the driver so they know the child is crossing. If the child drops something near the bus, they should tell the driver as soon as possible and not try to immediately retrieve it.
Safety tips for drivers who encounter school buses:
- Keep your eyes not just on the bus as it’s slowing, stopped or preparing to stop. Also be aware of the surrounding area, as children will likely be nearby and may cross the street to board or get off the bus.
- Stop for the bus. Always.
- Do not attempt to pass a schools bus as it’s stopped or slowing down. Ever. It’s not just dangerous — it’s illegal.
- Yellow flashing lights on a bus mean it’s preparing to stop to pick up or drop off students. Slow down and prepare to stop your own vehicle as well.
- Red flashing and extended arms means a bus is stopped and children are getting on or off the bus. Stop your car and wait until the red lights stop flashing, the arm is withdrawn and the bus begins moving before you start driving again.
For more information on school bus safety, visit: www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/school-bus-safety
Phaedra Trethan has been a reporter and editor in South Jersey since 2007 and has called the region home since 1971. Contact her at ptrethan@gannettnj.com, on Twitter @wordsbyPhaedra, or by phone at 856-486-2417.
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