School Bus Safety Tips for Educators

Nearly a half-million school buses nationwide transport students back and forth to school on a daily basis. Not only is that number far larger than all other daily forms of America’s mass transit combined, it also is the safest, according to national transportation statistics.

National School Bus Safety Week — recognized annually the third week in October — is a hands-on public education campaign that aims to ensure the safety of students, drivers and monitors day-in and day-out. But one week, of course, is not enough: the need to teach students about bus safety is a lesson that’s necessary to revisit all year long.

Teachers, school-bus drivers and monitors, alike, share the responsibility for those lessons. And if you’re new to these professions, you might be wondering the best ways to make sure students arrive to school, and back home, safely each day.

We want to help, and that’s why we’ve gathered a wide array of resources and advice on how to deliver those lessons and manage student behavior while on the road.

National Safety Council

Here are some simple lessons to teach your students to ensure their ride to, and from, school is as safe as possible.

Mental Floss

Learn the top secrets of school bus drivers.

School Bus Fleet

Looking for ways to teach your students about school-bus safety? Creativity could be the key, and fortunately, there’s no shortage of interesting lessons to present to students. Here are a few:

Kajeet

Driving a school bus today is not what it used to be. Requirements are more stringent. Technology is more sophisticated. There are more laws that impact the job than ever before, and inspection and background checks are more thorough, too.

Smith System – Drivers’ Safety Blog

Road conditions, weather, student behavior and other motorists — the challenges that bus drivers face while working to safely transport students to, and from, school are many. Below are some tips to ensure the ride is safe:

Pupil Transportation Safety Institute

School bus drivers and attendants have a rewarding but challenging job. And managing student behavior aboard the bus is, perhaps, their toughest task. Here are some techniques to create a safe and orderly bus environment:

School Bus Fleet

School-bus safety doesn’t begin and end with ensuring students board, and depart, their bus safely. It’s just as important to make sure that students are well behaved. Here are some strategies for handling discipline issues aboard your bus:

School Bus Safety Tips

National Safety Council

Mental Floss

School Bus Fleet

Kajeet

Smith System – Drivers’ Safety Blog

Pupil Transportation Safety Institute

School Bus Fleet

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