Back-To-School Safe Driving Tips in Houston, TX

Sandoval Law Firm Shares Back-To-School Safety Tips — As The New School Year Approaches

The 2021 fall semester begins in August and across the country, students will be back in the classroom.

This can be a dangerous time because children—as well as drivers—are adjusting to back-to-school routines,” says Alex Epstein, director of Transportation Safety for the National Safety Council (NSC).

As bus stops, cross walks, and school zones become more flooded with students, Accident Attorney Sandoval from Sandoval Law Firm in Houston said it’s a good time to go over safety tips, including how to stay safe before, during and after school, especially if we consider that Houston leads in rate of Texas car accidents.

Read also: Texas Teenage Driver Safety Tips

Teach your kids these do’s and don’t for bus stop safety:

• Stay at least five feet from the curb or roadway at all times. Or, for a more kid-friendly guideline, teach your kids to take three giant steps back from the curb or road, and to stay at least that far back while they wait for the bus. That gives drivers and cars plenty of clearance to get around.
• Stay alert at the bus stop. Consider enforcing a “no headphones/devices at the bus stop” policy, since these distractions keep kids from responding to their surroundings.
• 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.
• Once on the bus, kids should take a seat, face forward, and remain seated at all times.

More back to school walking and biking tips for parents:

• Don’t allow kids to walk or bike to school unsupervised before they’re ready. While it’s a great way to increase their physical activity and sense of independence, it’s too risky if your children don’t remember or obey basic traffic rules.
• Have a Plan B for getting kids to school in case of inclement weather or traffic conditions. Biking in particular is more dangerous (not to mention messy) on the days that are rainy, icy or windy. If there is a detour, make sure your kids can navigate around it.
• Visibility matters. At the very least, kids should have a bright, reflective jacket or backpack that helps drivers see them and identify them as schoolchildren at just a glance.
• Wear backpacks properly, with both straps on, to help prevent back strain and entanglement (more backpack safety tips here).
• Consider leveraging technology to track your child’s location. If they have a phone, apps like Life 360 let you track their location in real time.

Additional tips to prevent and protect against common teen driving risks:

• Curb distracted driving by using built-in phone settings like Do Not Disturb While Driving mode.
• Take advantage of location-tracking apps or devices to ensure you know your teen’s whereabouts.
• Consider buying your teen a roadside assistance plan in the event of common automobile emergencies, especially if they drive an older model car, which are more prone to breakdowns and wear-and-tear.
• Make sure their car is properly maintained to prevent accidents caused by issues like bald tires and worn-out brakes.
• Encourage your teen to be out the door early. Speeding and distracted driving often arise as a result of being late.

What to do if getting into a car accident?

Contact Sandoval Law Firm, PLLC at (346) 347-7777 to request an initial consultation to discuss your case.