It’s important to take the time to review the basic principles of safety before they enter another school year, so we’ve put together a brief list of topics to discuss.
Walking To School / Bus Stop
Make sure to pre-plan your child’s course with the most direct route to and from the school / bus stop. Be sure to avoid intersections if possible and always maintain their paths in plain view of others. Make sure that your child knows not to be engaged with electronics while walking. There are more than 15,000 children injured by a vehicle each year in the United States while walking.
Traveling By School Bus
Be sure that your child knows to wait for the bus to come to a complete stop before attempting to enter. Remind them that it is important to ALWAYS enter and exit in front of the bus so that the bus driver can maintain visual contact.
Backpack Safety
Remember not to overload your child’s backpack. Typically, the loaded backpack should not weigh more than 15% – 20% of your child’s total weight. Utilize all compartments to distribute the weight evenly and encourage use of both straps and the waist strap.
Contact Information
Make sure that your child knows your cell phone number, how to contact you at work, or how to contact another trusted adult in the case of an emergency. Review how to use 9-1-1 and when it is appropriate.
Strangers
Be sure to remind your child that a stranger is someone that they don’t know very well. Encourage them to report any unusual instances immediately to their teacher or other administrators upon arriving at school. Make sure that they always walk with a friend and that they should never get close enough to anyone to be grabbed.
Students That Drive
It is vitally important to remind young adults that have that new found freedom of driving how many accidents are caused by distracted driving. Distractions aren’t just from texting and driving but can be caused by eating, music, or just too many passengers. In 2018, there were 9 deaths and 1,000 injuries daily as a result of distracted driving.
Safety Drills
Make sure to speak with your child about the importance of the mandated school safety drills that they will take part in at school. Fire, Tornado, and Active Shooter drills will be rehearsed and utilized to create a memory response should the need to implement them arise.
Talk to your child and remind them that in 2018 there were 27 Active Shooter incidents in the United States. Help them to understand that participation in drills like ALICE or Run, Hide, Fight is designed to increase their chances of surviving a critical incident and should be taken seriously.
Each and every year students embark on a journey to expand their limitations and experience life through social interaction at school. Bolo Stick LLC strives to add an additional layer of safety to their learning environment by providing a strong, simple, and safe way to prevent unwanted classroom entry. There is a peace of mind in safety.
To keep your loved ones safe at home, get a door barricade. Shop at our Door Barricade Device Store
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