Back-to-School Transportation: The 5 Biggest Safety Mistakes I See

As a pediatric ER doctor and mom, some of the hardest cases I see happen during what should be the safest part of the day: getting to and from school. The encouraging news? A few simple habits can dramatically reduce your child’s risk.

Here are the five I think about most:

1. Phones down before crossing.
   The walk from the parking lot or bus stop counts. Teach your child that crossing any street or parking lot is a “heads-up” activity—no texting, scrolling, or earbuds. Make eye contact with drivers before stepping into a crosswalk, and never assume a driver sees them.
2. Never cross between stopped cars.
   One of the most dangerous situations is when one driver stops but another vehicle passes around them. I cared for a child who was struck in exactly this scenario. Always try to drop off your child on the side where they do NOT have to cross traffic. If they must, teach them wait for the designated crosswalk and walk signal—even if a driver waves you across. 
3. Treat school parking lots like roads.
   Many parents think they’ve arrived safely once they’re on school property, but parking lots are full of distracted drivers, reversing vehicles, and children who are difficult to see. Young children should hold an adult’s hand, and everyone should stay off their phones.
4. Think twice about e-bikes.
   Many e-bikes can reach nearly 30 mph, and I talk about the risks of these regularly – at those speeds, even a helmet can’t prevent devastating injuries in a collision with a car. From an ER perspective, they’re simply too fast and too exposed for most school-age riders.
5. Respect the school bus.
   Large yellow school buses are remarkably safe for the children riding inside them—but the loading and unloading zone is where many serious injuries occur. Teach children to stay well away from the bus until the driver signals it’s safe to cross, and as a driver, always slow down and give buses plenty of space.

The school commute happens hundreds of times each year. A few conversations now—and a few consistent habits—can help make every one of those trips a safer one.