BACK TO SCHOOL

• Back to School often marks the “unofficial” beginning to the fall! Prepare yourself and your kids for going back to school including reviewing school bus safety and pedestrian safety.
  • Walking to school safety tips: 
    • Practice walking to school with your child to get them used to it.
    • Always walk on the sidewalk. If there is no sidewalk, walk facing traffic so that you can see cars coming towards you.
    • Always cross streets using crosswalks. If a crosswalk is not available, stop and look left, right, and left again to look for oncoming traffic. Do not cross the street in front of or behind a parked car, or between two parked cars.
  • Biking to school safety tips: 
    • Always wear a properly fitted helmet with any wheeled sports.
    • Remember that according to PA law, bicyclists are “vehicles” and must follow the rules of the road just like cars. Ride on the right side of the road with traffic; stop at stop signs and red lights; use (hand) turn signals, etc.
  • Riding the bus safety tips: 
    •  Practice going to the bus stop with your child.
    • Stand six feet away (three giant steps) from the curb.
    • If crossing the street in front of the bus (never behind it), walk until you are 10 feet ahead of the bus (five giant steps) so that the bus driver can see you, and you can see them.
  • Driving to school safety tips: 
    •  Practice safe driving skills with your teen whenever you can.
    • Make sure that they always wear their seat belt and never drive distracted.
• Make sure that your child is wearing their backpack correctly in order to prevent injuries from incorrect use.
  • A child’s backpack should be no more than 10% of their body weight to prevent falls, future and/or ongoing back pain, and other physical damage.
  •  Pack the backpack so that the heaviest items are in the back, closest to the back of the child when wearing it, and the lightest items are in the front.

HOLIDAYS

• Halloween is a key time to understand pedestrian safety! Children are two times more likely to be hit by a car and killed on Halloween than on any other day of the year.
  • Always walk on sidewalks when available. If not available, walk facing traffic as far to the left as possible.
  • Give children (and adults!) a flashlight or glow stick to help them be seen more easily as it gets darker outside. Use reflective strips on costumes to help.
  • Make sure costumes (including masks and shoes) don’t interfere with the ability to see or walk. This way, you can avoid accidental falls.
• As you prepare your home for holiday dinners, be sure your kitchen is a safe environment for the youngest guest or family member.
  • Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires, followed by Christmas and Christmas Eve.
  •  Stay in the kitchen when cooking on the stove and in your home when baking so you can keep an eye on the food.
  • Keep the three-foot radius around the stove a “kid free zone” to avoid accidental burns.
  • Keep knives, matches, lighters, electric cords, etc. out of reach of children.
  • Test all smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors regularly.
• When it comes time to change the clocks back, be sure to check your smoke alarm batteries.