Back-To-School Safety Checklist
Consumer Product Safety Commission
When you drop off your child at school, use this
checklist to make sure these hidden hazards
aren't waiting to cause injury or death.
Drawstrings on Jackets and Sweatshirts --
There should be no drawstrings on hoods or
around the neck. Drawstrings at the waist
or bottom of jackets should extend no more
than 3 inches to prevent catching in car
and school bus doors or getting caught on
playground equipment.
Loops on Window Blind Cords --
Cut the loop and attach separate tassels to
prevent entanglement and strangulation in
window blind cords. One child a month
strangles and dies in the loop of a window
blind cord.
Bike Helmets --
Buy a helmet that meets one of the safety
standards (U.S. CPSC, Snell, ANSI, ASTM,
or Canadian), and insist that your children
wear the helmet each time they ride their
bike. About 900 people, including more than
200 children, are killed annually in bicycle-
related incidents, and about 60 percent of
these deaths involve a head injury. More than
500,000 people are treated annually in U.S.
hospital emergency rooms for bicycle-related
injuries. Research indicates that a helmet can
reduce the risk of head injury by up to 85 percent.
Soccer Goals --
Make sure that the athletic director or the
custodian anchors the soccer goals into the
ground so that the soccer goal will not tip
over and crush a child.
Playgrounds --
Check the surfaces around playground equipment
at schools and parks to make sure there is a
12-inch depth of wood chips, mulch, sand, or
pea gravel, or mats made of safety-tested rubber
or fiber material to prevent head injury when a
child falls. Each year, more than 200,000
children go to U.S. hospital emergency rooms with
injuries associated with playground equipment.
Most injuries occur when a child falls from the
equipment onto the ground.
Recalled Products --
Make sure your child's school has up-to-date
information on recalled toys and children's
products. Schools, daycare providers, and
parents can receive recall information by FAX,
e-mail, or in the regular mail free of charge
by calling the CPSC hotline, or writing to the
U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission,
Washington, D.C. 20207.
Back to School Safety Tips
Riding the Bus
School bus transportation is safe. In fact,
buses are safer than cars! Even so, last year,
approximately 26 students were killed and
another 9,000 were injured in incidents
involving school buses. More often than not,
these deaths and injuries didn't occur in a
crash, but as the pupils were entering and
exiting the bus. Remember these safety tips:
Have a safe place to wait for your bus, away
from traffic and the street.
Stay away from the bus until it comes to a
complete stop and the driver signals you to enter.
When being dropped off, exit the bus and walk ten
giant steps away from the bus. Keep a safe distance
between you and the bus. Also, remember that the
bus driver can see you best when you are back away
from the bus.
Use the handrail to enter and exit the bus.
Stay away from the bus until the driver gives
his/her signal that it's okay to approach.
Be aware of the street traffic around you. Drivers
are required to follow certain rules of the road
concerning school buses, however, not all do.
Protect yourself and watch out!
"DANGER ZONES" AROUND A BUS. is ten feet around
the bus. walk 15 to 20 feet to be safe :)
Check out the National Safety Council's Fact Sheet
on School Bus Safety Rules.
Walking and Biking to School
Even if you don't ride in a motor vehicle, you
still have to protect yourself. Because of
minimal supervision, young pedestrians face a
wide variety of decisions making situations and
dangers while walking to and from school. Here
are a few basic safety tips to follow:
Mind all traffic signals and/or the crossing guard
never cross the street against a light, even if
you don't see any traffic coming.
Walk your bike through intersections.
Walk with a buddy.
Wear reflective material...it makes you more
visible to street traffic.
The Partnership for a Walkable America has some
more information on this topic.
Riding in a Car
You might have heard before that most traffic
crashes occur close to home ... they do.
Safety belts are the best form of protection
passengers have in the event of a crash. They
can lower your risk of injury by 45%.
You are four times more likely to be seriously
injured or killed if ejected from the vehicle
in a crash.
Everyone needs to be buckled up properly. That
means older kids in seat belts, younger kids in
booster seats and little kids in child safety seats.
