The school day for thousands of children in Kenya, Africa and all over the world begins and ends with a trip on a school bus. School buses may be a safer mode of motorised transportation for getting children to and from school, but injuries can occur if children are not aware of how and when to get on and off the vehicle.
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Here are a few tips on how to use the school bus safely:
- While waiting for the bus, stay in a safe place on the pavement. The bus driver and others cannot see you if you are standing closer than 10 feet from the bus. Stand at least five giant steps away from the school bus
- Wait until the bus stops, the door is opened and the driver says it is alright before stepping onto the bus
- Learn how to use the seat belt correctly and ask the driver for help to belt-up
- Do not put your hands out of the school bus even when it is moving. Do not put your head out to look back and wave
- If something falls under the bus, ask the driver for assistance in retrieving it; do not try to pick it up yourself
- When you get off the bus, look left, look right and left again before you cross the street and remember to always cross in front of the bus.
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Even if you use the school bus, you should know the following 10 basic road safety rules:
- Know your signals
- Stop, look, and cross
- Pay attention – listen
- Don’t run & play on roads
- Always use sidewalks
- Use zebra crossings and walk-over bridges
- Never cross roads at bends
- Don’t rush
- Ask for help.
Adapted from Simba-Safe Kenya Child Safety Newsletter.
