Tips given for back-to-school safety

  • Published
  • By Staff. Sgt Micah R. Hewett
  • 341st Missile Wing Safety Office
MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. --  It may be hard to believe, but summer is heading into fall and that means school has started. To kick off the year right, here is some safety advice to help the transition run smoother and safer for your young ones. 

School Bus Safety
Make sure your child uses the school bus lap or shoulder seat belts (if applicable). The simplest rules are the still the best: wait for the bus to stop before approaching it from the curb; remain in clear view of the bus driver; and look both ways before crossing. 

Car Safety
Remember that you are responsible for other children walking to and from school. Be aware of your surroundings while driving. Be on the lookout for youth running around and not watching both ways on the street. Respect the school zones and drive the designated speed limit. You're the driver; you're responsible. 

Montana state law requires children under age 6 or weighing less than 60 pounds to ride in a federally approved car seat or booster seat that is properly installed and used. The law in Montana further requires that all other people in the vehicle must be wearing a seat belt if they are not required to be in a car seat. Quite simply, your child should ride in a belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle's seat belt fits properly (usually when the child reaches about 4'9" and is between 8 to 12 years of age). This means the shoulder belt lies across the middle of the chest and shoulder, not the neck or throat; the lap belt is low and snug across the thighs, not the stomach; and the child is tall enough to sit against the vehicle seat back with their legs bent at the knees and feet hanging down. All children under 13 years of age should ride in the rear seat of vehicles. If you must drive more children than can fit in the rear seat, move the front-seat passenger's seat as far back as possible and have the child ride in a booster seat if the seat belts do not fit properly without it. 

If you have a teenager, remember many crashes occur while novice teen drivers are going to and from school. You should limit the number of teen passengers to prevent driver distraction; this is even required by law in many states. Do not allow your teen to drive while eating, drinking or talking on a cell phone. Also, with the passage of SB 104, Montana became the last state to pass a graduated driver's license for teens. The new law creates a probationary period for beginning drivers during which nighttime driving is restricted, and the number of young passengers in cars driven by teens is limited. The new law requires a one-year intermediate license to follow the learner's permit. 

On the Playground
Check the playground equipment at your child's school. Look for hazards such as rusted or broken equipment and dangerous surfaces. The surface around the equipment should be covered with wood chips, mulch, sand, pea gravel, or mats made of safety-tested rubber or fiber material to prevent head injury when a child falls. Report any hazards to the school. Avoid any drawstrings on the hood or around the neck of jackets and sweatshirts. Drawstrings at the waist or bottom of jackets should extend no more than three inches long to prevent catching in car and school bus doors or getting caught on playground equipment. 

Teach your little ones proper playground behavior; no pushing, shoving or crowding. Bullies can be a stressful part of school. Make sure to give your child some strategies for coping with bullies. They should not give in to a bully's demands, but rather they should simply walk away or tell the bully to stop. Teach your children how to say the following phrases in a firm voice: "I don't like what you are doing;" "Please do not talk to me like that;"or "Why would you say that?" If the bullying continues, talk to the teacher. If your child is the bully, reinstate that bullying is never OK. Try to encourage your child to tell a trusted adult about the bullying and help your child support other children who may be bullied. 

Homework Skills
Last, but not least, it is crucial to develop effective study habits. Try to create an environment that is conducive to doing homework. Youngsters need a permanent work space in their bedroom or another part of the home that offers privacy. You may even wish to establish a rule that the TV stays off during homework time.
In the end 

Please remember that you can't prevent every single injury that your child may be exposed to , but it is your responsibility as a parent to equip them with as many necessary skills as possible to help their chances of a safe and happy school year. 

If you would like more information about back-to-school Safety, please visit the following Web sites; American Academy of Pediatrics at http://www.aap.org or Readers Digest at http://www.rd.com