Back-to-School Safety Tips

As children across the country go back to school, it’s normal for parents to worry. Many families are wondering about how to protect children from Covid-19 as well from everyday concerns like accidents on the way to school and injuries during sports or recess.

Whether you have an elementary, middle, or high schooler, it’s important to talk with your child about safety. Our team at Hare Wynn is sharing back-to-school safety tips to help families.

Most school injuries and accidents can be prevented by taking precautions, but you can’t control the actions of others. If your child is injured due to someone else’s careless or reckless actions, our Birmingham personal injury lawyers can help you file a claim for compensation.

School Bus Safety

Your or another trusted adult should go to the bus stop with your child and teach them how to get on and off. If you can, it’s a good idea to drive by the bus stop occasionally to check on your children.

Safety.com offers these tips:

• Kids should stay at least 5 feet, or three giant steps, from the curb or roadway at all times. This gives vehicles room to maneuver.
• It’s essential to stay alert at the bus stop. Consider setting a “no headphones/devices at the bus stop” rule.
• If crossing the street to board the bus, wait until the bus driver puts the arm/stop sign out to stop the cars going in the opposite direction. Even when the stop sign is up, kids still need to look both ways before crossing the road.
• Kids should never walk behind the bus or in other places, it can be hard for the bus driver to see.

Walking or Biking to School

If your child is walking or biking to school, make sure they know and obey traffic laws. Never let them walk or bike to school unsupervised before they are ready.

When walking to school children should stay on the sidewalk if one is available and always cross streets at crosswalks or intersections. Teach children to look left, right, and left again to see if cars are coming before crossing the street.

If your child bikes to school, teach them the rules of the road and practice riding the bike route to school with them. Make sure your kids know when it’s appropriate to ride on the sidewalk, use the bike lane, or ride with traffic. Children also need to wear bright clothing and a fitted helmet.

Teen Drivers

The National Safety Council reports that car crashes are the number one cause of death for teens. It suggests practicing with new drivers every week before and after they get their license since inexperience leads to accidents.

Here are some more safety tips from the National Safety Council and Safety.com:

• Make sure your teenager’s car is properly maintained to prevent accidents caused by issues like bald tires and worn-out brakes.
• Remind your teen to avoid speeding and distracted driving.
• Consider buying a roadside assistance plan in the event of car trouble, especially if your teen drives an older model.

Playgrounds and Sports

Necklaces and jackets with drawstrings can be a strangulation hazard on playgrounds, as they could get caught in equipment. Tell your child to leave them at home or always take them off before playing.

Make sure your child knows where the school nurse’s office is. You may also want to consider giving them a first-aid kit.

Head injuries should never be ignored. Concussions are one of the most common injuries in young athletes. Read our article to learn more about preventing concussions if your child plays sports.

Covid-19

The CDC recommends that everyone over 15 get a vaccine for Covid-19. The Mayo Clinic offers these tips for protecting your children from the coronavirus.

• Wearing cloth face masks should be a priority especially when it’s hard to maintain social distance, such as on the bus, at carpool drop-off or pickup, and when entering the building.
• Provide your child with a clean mask and backup mask each day and a clean, resealable bag for them to store when they can’t wear it.
• Label your child’s mask so it’s not confused with another child’s.
• Suggest hand washing for the length of time it takes to sing the Happy Birthday song twice.
• Give your child a hand sanitizer without at least 60% alcohol to use when they can’t wash their hands.

Contact Hare Wynn

For more than 130 years, Hare, Wynn, Newell & Newton has been helping individuals and families fight for their rights after someone else’s negligence caused harm and losses. Our trial lawyers have handled a wide range of cases,

We have won numerous multi-million dollar jury verdicts and settlements on behalf of clients. Call 800-568-5330 today for a free consultation.