American Red Cross helps students stay safe ahead of the academic school year

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)-- As students make their way back to the classrooms, the American Red Cross of Southeastern Colorado is offering ten ways to help make sure students are safe for the upcoming academic year. 

• If your student rides a bus to school, they should plan to get to their bus stop early and stand away from the curb while waiting for the bus to arrive.
• Students should board the bus only after it has come to a complete stop and the driver or attendant has instructed them to get on. They should only board their bus, never an alternate one.
• All students should stay clear of the bus driver and never walk behind the bus.
• Cross the street at the corner, obey traffic signals, and stay in the crosswalk.
• Never dart out into the street or cross between parked cars.
• Children who go to school in a car should always wear a seat belt. Younger children should use car seats or booster seats until the lap-shoulder belt fits properly (typically for children ages 8-12 and over 4’9”), and ride in the back seat until they are at least 13.
• If a teenager is going to drive to school, parents should mandate that they use seat belts. Drivers should not use their cell phones to text or make calls and avoid eating or drinking while driving.
• Some students ride their bikes to school. They should always wear a helmet and ride on the right, in the same direction as the traffic is going.
• When children are walking to school, they should only cross the street at an intersection, and use a route along which the school has placed crossing guards.
• Parents should walk young children to school, along with children taking new routes or attending new schools, at least for the first week to ensure they know how to get there safely. Arrange for students to walk to school with a friend or classmate.

For parents of students, preparation is imperative should emergency situations arise: 

• PREPARE FOR EMERGENCIES: Know what the emergency plan is at your child’s school in case a disaster or an unforeseen event occurs. 
  • Develop a family emergency plan so everyone will know who to contact and where to go if something happens while children are at school and parents are at work. 
  • Details are available at redcross.org/prepare.
• TAKE A FIRST AID CLASS: Learn and practice first aid and CPR skills by taking a course so you can help save a life. 
  • Download the free Red Cross First Aid app for instant access to information on handling the most common first aid emergencies whether it be before, during, or after school. 
  • You can find it by searching for ‘American Red Cross’ in your app store or at redcross.org/apps.

Drivers near school zones should always slow down as children will be in the area.

Know that yellow flashing lights indicate the bus is getting ready to stop and red flashing lights and an extended stop sign indicate the bus is stopped and children are getting on or off.

Drivers following or traveling alongside a school bus must also stop until the red lights have stopped flashing, the stop arm is withdrawn, and all children have reached safety. This includes two and four-lane highways.

If physical barriers such as grassy medians, guide rails, or concrete median barriers separate oncoming traffic from the bus, drivers in the opposing lanes may proceed without stopping. Do not proceed until all the children have reached a place of safety.

The American Red Cross of Southeastern Colorado is located at 1040 S. 8th Ave. For more information about the organization, click the link here.