Listening to the bus driver is the first thing you should teach your child when it comes to riding the school bus safely.

If the child's focus is on the bus driver they are off to a great start. When waiting for the bus the child should stand back a few feet from the road. Many children get excited when they see the bus and have a tendency to move closer to the road, or hustle to be one of the first on the bus.

Though most of us use caution on school days, many people blow by a bus, even when it has its red lights flashing. For this reason, it is important for the students to wait for the signal from the bus driver that it is safe to cross.

Once on the bus it is important for the child to chose a seat and stay in it.

Bus safety also includes being quiet. Even whispers from fifty children on a bus can cause a distracting buzz for the driver to contend with. You wouldn't want children jumping and screaming in the back of your car.

One of the most important things to tell your child is to report any bullying on the bus to the driver immediately. By doing this is alerts the driver to a problem before it gets out of hand. Many children are hesitant to report, fearing that they'll be labeled a tattle-tale. Use examples of bus rides in the news where a student is beaten up on the bus, these students could have stopped the bully before the violence.

Riding the bus is a privilege not a right. Bus drivers are usually quick to respond to trouble makers, but it is important that the student be comfortable with the people around them. Sitting closer to the bus driver, rather than the back of the bus, can stop problems before they start.

Teaching your child how to ride the school bus safely is an important topic which can be easily explained to children of any age.

Learn more about this author, Jacqueline Foster.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

---

Add your voice

Know something about Teaching your child to ride the school bus safely?
We want to hear your view. Write now!