Ready for a new school year? These safety tips will help make sure your kids get off to a healthy start when the school bell rings.
Preventing Backpack-Related Injuries
- Chose a backpack for your child carefully. It should have ergonomically designed features to enhance safety and comfort.
- Don’t overstuff a backpack; it should weigh no more than 10 to 20 percent of your child’s body weight. For example, a child that weighs 60 pounds should carry a backpack no heavier than 12 pounds
- Ask your children to use both straps when wearing their backpack to evenly distribute the weight.
Walking to School
- Review your family’s walking safety rules.
- Walk on the sidewalk, if one is available. When on a street with no sidewalk, walk facing the traffic.
- Before you cross the street, stop and look both ways to see if cars are coming.
- Never dart out in front of a parked car.
- Practice walking to school with your child.
Riding a Bicycle to School
- Make sure your child always wears their helmet while riding their bicycle.
- Teach your children the rules of the road to ride their bicycles safely.
- Ride on the right side of the road and in a single file.
- Come to a complete stop before crossing the street.
Riding the Bus to School
- Go to the bus stop with your child to teach them the proper way to get on and off the bus.
- Make sure your children stand at least six feet away from the curb.
- If you and your child need to cross the street in front of the bus, walk on the side of the road until you are at least 12 feet ahead of the bus. You always should be able to see the bus driver, and the bus driver should always be able to see you.
—Source: National Safety Council
Good Neighbor Pharmacy, August 2014
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