Luke members urged to learn, practice back-to-school safety

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Wallace Greenwood
  • 56th Fighter Wing safety office
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  The end of summer is rapidly approaching and with that comes the beginning of a new school year requiring students, parents and drivers alike to stop and reflect on
those safety concerns associated with going back to school. For most of the more than twenty-three million students nationwide, the journey back and forth to school will involve raveling on a school bus. 

According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, since 1995, 170 school-age pedestrians have died in school transportation-related crashes. Nearly 65 percent  were killed by school buses, five percent by vehicles functioning as school buses, and 30 percent by other vehicles involved in the crashes. Nearly one-half of all school-age pedestrians killed in school transportation-related crashes were between the ages of 5 and 7. 

Although drivers of all vehicles are required to stop for a school bus when it is stopped to load or discharge passengers, children should not rely on them to do so. 

Pedestrian injuries are the second leading cause of unintentional death among children ages 5 to 14.

School bus safety tips:

· Arrive at the bus stop at least five minutes before the bus.
 
· When waiting, stay away from traffic and avoid roughhousing or carelessness. Avoid straying onto streets. 

· Line up away from the street as the school bus approaches. Wait until the bus stops and the door opens before stepping onto the roadway. · Use the handrail when stepping onto the bus.
 
· Tell the driver before picking up a dropped item. 

· Ensure the bus driver knows where you are at all times.
 
· At your stop, wait for the bus to come to a standstill before leaving your seat. Use the handrail while exiting.
 
· When crossing the street in front of the bus, walk at least ten feet ahead of the bus along the side of the road, until you can turn around and see the driver. Make sure the driver can see you. 

· When the driver signals, walk across the road, keeping an eye out for sudden traffic changes.
 
· Stay away from the bus' rear wheels at all times.

Safety tips for children walking to school:

· Plan the route. Keep it simple and minimize street crossings.
 
· Before crossing streets, children should stop at the curb or edge of the road, look left, then right and leftagain before stepping out; and continuelooking both ways until they've safely crossed. 

· If vision is blocked by a parked car or other obstacle, children should move to where they can see vehicles on the road and drivers can see them.
 
· Do dry runs before school starts. 

· Children should avoid vacant lots, fields and locations where there are few people.
 
· Children should walk in groups. Predators avoid groups of children and seek out those who are alone.