Our third Back-to-School Month safety topic focuses on best practices students should follow when traveling back and forth from school, examining three common means of school district transportation: walking, biking, and riding the school bus.
Walking Best Practices
- Use the sidewalk. Walking in the roadway puts you in the line of fire, where you could be struck by a moving vehicle.
- Do not jaywalk. Using a crosswalk decreases your chances of being struck by a moving vehicle.
- Wait for “Safe to Cross” indicators. Before proceeding through a crosswalk, also doublecheck for vehicles.
Biking Best Practices
- Wear a helmet. This reduces the risk of head and brain injuries by 66% to 88%.
- Obey road rules. Failure to yield right of way, traffic signs, signals, or officers were leading causes of death for cyclists in the US in 2020.
- Ensure you are visible to motorists. Wear bright colored clothing, wear something reflective, utilize a flashing or strobe light.
School Bus Best Practices
- Wait for the bus in a safe area. Stand at least 6 feet from roadway travel lanes.
- Maintain eye-contact with the bus driver. When crossing the road after departing the bus, until you are clear of their path, do not walk too close to the front of the bus where the driver can’t see you.
- Check both ways. Always look before crossing the road to get on the bus, or after getting off the bus. School buses are equipped with stop signs to halt traffic, but stay vigilant regardless.
Stay Informed
Our team specializes in multi-modal engineering and community planning. We understand the importance of transportation systems, signage, and pedestrian resources—from traffic signals, crosswalks, and sidewalks to safety attire and equipment.
For one Pennsylvania Township, we worked with PennDOT, the regional planning commission, and Central Dauphin School District to improve pedestrian safety routes for school children.
Reach out to our experts at healthandsafety@dawood.cc to learn more about how we can help to ensure safer connections in your community, and be sure to review the National Safety Council back-to-school checklist.