As summer begins to wind down and families switch from vacation mode to school preparations, the American Red Cross has rolled out a safety checklist to ensure students kick off their school year without a hitch. With the start of classes just around the corner on Aug. 12 for the Houston Independent School District, this checklist is a timely resource for parents and students alike.
Reported by the Houston Chronicle, the checklist provides a gamut of safety measures, specifically addressing the various ways children get to school. For the many tykes setting foot on the schoolyard for the first time, the Red Cross urges parents to endow them with knowledge of what to do in emergencies, including how to dial 911 and the significance of reserving it strictly for such scenarios. Along with this, there's a pointer for children about the perennial advice on "stranger danger," particularly warning against accepting rides from unknown individuals.
When it comes to navigating Houston, known for its precarious sidewalks in certain neighborhoods, the checklist suggests that those kids who walk or bike should be familiar with basic traffic safety. This includes everything from sticking to the sidewalk – cracked as it may be – to the correct response to pedestrian signals. Meanwhile, young bus riders are advised to wait for the bus to stop completely before boarding and to always remain visible to the bus driver.
Aimed at reigning in the eager young drivers, the Red Cross emphasizes the golden rule of the road: no texting while driving. In a statement obtained by the Ft. Bend Herald, they also underline the necessity of seat belt use, implore students to forgo using their phones or eating while driving, and suggest downloading Red Cross emergency apps for added safety.
The checklist isn't solely for youngsters, though. Drivers will find advice tailored to them too, like the importance of understanding what a school bus's yellow and red flashing lights signify – a heads up to slow down and stop, respectively. And though the Red Cross makes it clear that a physical barrier between your vehicle and the bus lets you off the hook from stopping, they underscore that you should only proceed once all children are safe.
As students nationwide shuffle back to their academic routines, this checklist from the American Red Cross serves as a valuable blueprint to ensure that safety remains at the forefront of everyone's mind.
