Keeping Children Safe on the Way to School
As another school year begins in Salt Lake City, parents must adjust to a host of new challenges that await their children; most notably the child's safety during the child's daily trip to school.

October 06, 2011 /24-7PressRelease/ -- As another school year begins in Salt Lake City, parents must adjust to a host of new challenges that await their children. Kids face new teachers, new forms of peer pressure and dangers that they may not have encountered the previous year. However, one potential danger that persists every school year is one that is often overlooked - how the child physically gets to school in the first place. There are a variety of tips for parents that will help insure their child's safety during the child's daily trip to school. Some of these tips include:

Review the route - It is always helpful to be aware of your child's school route. Be sure to make sure it is consistent and free of inherent dangers. If your child walks to school, he or she should not cross major intersections without guidance, and neighborhood street crossings should have crossing guards. If there is road construction or other hazards, be sure to develop an available safe alternate route.

Know the stops - Parents should also know the location of the bus stop, and discuss safe practices for waiting for the bus. Bus stop accidents are more common in winter, where snow and ice create hazards, but kids can still be injured when running to catch the bus. Again, if a child must cross a street to catch the bus, be sure to teach safe crossing procedures to avoid accidents. Every child should know to look both ways before crossing the street, and wait for the bus driver's signal to cross after getting off the bus.

Bike routes - Many children will begin riding bicycles to school before winter weather takes over. It is prudent to review bike safety rules before school starts. While it is easy to remember helmet rules, some kids still may not understand the rules for yielding to traffic, and where they can ride their bikes (on sidewalks as opposed to bike lanes in streets). Parents should discourage children from riding on busy thoroughfares and near railroad or light rail crossings.

Despite all the steps taken to keep kids safe, injuries can still occur. Children may be hurt by distracted drivers who are texting while driving or driving while talking on a cell phone, inexperienced teen drivers or drunk drivers. If your child is injured, an experienced personal injury attorney can advise you of your rights and options.

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