National School Bus Safety Week: Oct. 17-21

National School Bus Safety Week is an active and evolving public education program and an excellent way for parents, students, teachers, motorists, school bus operators, school administrators, and other interested parties - to join forces and address the importance of school bus safety.

Designed to promote school bus safety, school districts throughout the country observe School Bus Safety Week - held during the third week in October each year.

State and school officials recognize that transportation is one of the most vital and visible support systems for Arkansas public school students.  Every school day approximately 325,000 Arkansas students are transported over 250,000 miles on more than 5,000 school buses.

The Division of Public School Academic Facilities and Transportation will observe National School Bus Safety Week October 17-21, 2016, as designated by the National Association for Pupil Transportation.  The week is set aside annually to promote school bus safety for all students.

The 2015 Winning Poster/2016 National School Bus Safety Week theme: "Bully Free Zone!"

At the Cabot School District, we transport almost 5,000 students daily on 94 routes and drive over 4,800 miles each day. Our bus drivers work hard to make sure students stay safe.

Here are some school bus safety tips for parents.

Getting Ready for School

Have your children put everything they carry in a backpack or school bag so that they won´t drop things along the way.

Have them wear bright, contrasting colors so they will be more easily seen by drivers.

Make sure they leave home on time so they can walk to the bus stop and be ready when the bus arrives. Running can be dangerous.

Walking to the Bus Stop

Walk your young child to the bus stop, and have older children walk in groups. There is safety in numbers; groups are easier for drivers to see.

Practice good pedestrian behavior: walk on the sidewalk. If there is no sidewalk and you have to walk in the street, walk single file, face traffic and stay as close to the edge of the road as you can.

Stop and look left, right and then left again if you must cross the street. Do the same thing at driveways and alleys.

Waiting at the Bus Stop

Don´t let your child play running games or push and shove at the bus stop. It is dangerous.

Make sure your child stands at least 10 feet (five giant steps) from the road while waiting for the bus. The child will then be out of the way of traffic.

Getting On and Off the Bus

If children drop something, they should never pick it up. Instead, they should tell the driver and follow the driver´s instructions. If they bend over to pick up a dropped object, they might not be seen by the driver and could be hurt if the driver pulls away from the stop.

Remind children to look to the right before they step off the bus. Drivers in a hurry sometimes try to pass busses on the right.

Teach your children to secure loose drawstrings and other objects that may get caught in the handrail or door of the bus as they are exiting.

Give your child a note or follow your school´s procedures if you would like your child to get off at a stop other than the one they are assigned.

If you meet your child at the bus stop after school, wait on the side where the child will be dropped off, not across the street. Children can be so excited at seeing you after school that they dash across the street and forget the safety rules.

Riding the Bus

Children should talk quietly, be courteous to the driver and follow the driver´s instructions.

Children should stay seated during the entire bus ride and keep the aisles clear.

Click HERE for School Bus Stopping Laws in Arkansas.