Police Department

School Time Safety!

It has been a hot but great summer with all the activities that we as families have done this year. We in public safety believe that it has been a great summer because we have made it through that time of the year when all the kids are out doing their things and having fun. However, with the end of summer vacation quickly approaching and school getting ready to start up, here are a few child safety tips that we want to remind our citizens about to keep our kids safe this next school year.

Bus Stop Safety:

• Find another child in the neighborhood with whom your child can walk or ride the bus with as a safety partner.
• If appropriate and possible, walk or drive your child to the bus stop. Take turns with other parents in the neighborhood and act as safety coaches till the bus picks them up.
• Teach your child to not play in the street while waiting for the bus to arrive. They are easily distracted and may not notice an approaching vehicle.
• Teach your child to not approach the bus until it has come to a full stop.
• Teach your child to check for traffic before crossing a street or getting on or off the bus.

Bike Safety:

• Ensure they are wearing a bike helmet.
• Ride on the right, in the same direction as auto traffic.
• Understand and obey traffic control devices, such as stop signs.
• Wear bright colors for visibility.
• When crossing streets, cross only at a crosswalk and walk the bike across.
• Lock their bike up at school so they don’t become a victim of theft.

Walking:

• Plan a walking route to school. Choose the most direct way with the fewest street crossings and, if possible, with intersections that have crossing guards.
• Be sure they walk to and from school with a friend, sibling, or neighbor.
• Wear bright-colored clothing for visibility.
• Do they know what to do if a stranger approaches them?

Drivers in School Zones:

• Be especially alert in residential neighborhoods and school zones.
• Drive slowly and anticipate pedestrians near the roadway.
• Take extra time to actively look for kids at intersections, on medians, and curbs.
• Stay back from buses when loading and unloading to allow extra space between you and the bus. Turn on your emergency blinkers when stopped behind a bus loading or unloading.
• Anticipate the unexpected. We never know what to anticipate from a child.
• Wait your turn, don’t become impatient, and allow extra time when dropping off or picking up your children at school.

Watch those school speed zones. We encourage officers to be proactive in school zones to ensure the safety of the children. Please let your Washington City Police Department know if you have any questions or need assistance with any of the above information.  Thanks for all you do to make our community a great place.

                 –Police Department

WashingtonCity.org/police