Today most of our children are starting or returning to classes and the Berenson Law Offices wants to encourage students, parents, teachers and the community to be prepared so that our students get to school and return back home safely.
I am proud to be the school sponsor of the Rufino Mendoza Elementary School for the ninth year and will be at the school this week to wish the students and teachers good luck with their coming year.
In an effort to prevent injuries or fatalities to students heading back to school, we offer the following safety tips and encourage you to share them with your children, family and friends.
SCHOOL CHILDREN
Parents should talk to their children and rehearse potential problems that could arise as they walk or bike to school, get off the school bus, and cross the street. Here are some tips:
•Pick places where there are sidewalks or paths separated from traffic.
•Cross at a location with an adult school crossing guard.
•Avoid crossing busy or high-speed streets.
•Look left, right, left and behind you and in front of you for traffic.
•Keep looking for traffic until you have finished crossing.
•Be aware of drivers in parked cars that may be getting ready to move.
•Use the “buddy” system and walk with one or more friends.
SCHOOL BUS SAFETY
•When a school bus is about to stop and load or unload children, the bus driver activates amber warning lights.
•When meeting or overtaking a bus, slow to 25 MPH and prepare to stop.
•The amber warning lights will stay on until the bus door opens.
•When the bus driver opens the bus door, the red stop lights and STOP arm activates.
•Stop and remain stopped until the bus driver retracts the stop arm and deactivates the red warning lights.
•BICYCLE SAFETY
◦Plan the route with your child.
•Ride in the same direction as traffic (with the flow) in a single file.
•If there is not a dedicated bicycle lane, ride to the right side of the road, but far enough from parked cars to avoid any car doors that suddenly open.
•Stop before crossing the street, entering a road, or turning. Look left, right, left, and behind for traffic, including pedestrians, bicycles, and cars.
•Be predictable.
•Wear brightly colored clothes and reflective gear, with helmet buckled, shoelaces tied and pant leg on the chain side tucked so it cannot get caught.
•Use hand signals: