It is time to get those kids in their fancy duds, wonder how your junior high kid can make new clothes look like they’ve been tucked under the dog’s bed, and hustle the mountain of school supplies you’ve been tripping over into their incredibly small backpacks. (Wasn’t that bigger when you purchased it? How does it shrink without even washing it!)

School is about to begin.

DID YOU KNOW?
The greatest risk to a child isn’t riding a bus, but approaching or leaving one. From 2008 to 2017, there were 264 school-age children killed in school-transportation-related crashes. The majority of those students weren’t on the bus; 203 were either walking, waiting for the bus, biking, or in another vehicle.

All those brightly colored lights on a bus mean something…usually: STOP! Drivers are legally required to stop while following or meeting a bus on a 2-lane road when the bus extends the stop-arm and has lights flashing. The rule is a little different on a 4-lane road. In that case, you only have to stop if you are following the bus; not meeting it.

Even when lights aren’t flashing though, be vigilant and watch for small people. They don’t pay enough attention as it is. Which brings up a caution to parents.

Talk to your kids about playing it SAFE:

• Stay five steps away from the curb or edge of the roadway.
• Always wait until the bus comes to a complete stop and the bus driver tells you to board.
• Face forward after finding a seat on the bus.
• Exit the bus when it stops and look left-right-left for cars before crossing a street.

Learn more at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website.