Children’s Safety: Back-to-School Checklist 

The United States observes National Back-to-School Month each August. To make your family’s transition into the upcoming academic year as seamless, easy, and stress-free as possible, we have compiled several useful recommendations from the National Safety Council (NSC), one of America’s leading safety and health agencies, below.

Back-to-School Safety – Remember the Basics

When it comes to heading back to school, there are several important safety topics that your family should think about. Topics include walking or biking to school, backpacks, riding the bus, teen drivers, and more. Here are some of the NSC’s important transportation safety tips that you should review and practice with your child:

• Before crossing the street, stop and look to your left, right, and then left again to make sure that no cars are coming.
• Always walk on the sidewalk when one is available; if you are on a street with no sidewalk, walk facing traffic.
• Make eye contact with drivers before you cross in front of them.
• Always cross the street at a crosswalk or at a designated, marked intersection.
• Stay alert! Avoid distracted walking, biking, etc.
• When biking, ride on the right side of the road, with traffic, and in a single file line.
• Always wear a properly fitted helmet and brightly colored clothing!
• Do not bike across the street. Instead, come to a complete stop and walk your bike across the street. Do this at a designated intersection or crosswalk, and be sure to look left, right, and then left again before crossing.
• If your child rides the bus, go to the stop with them and teach them the proper, safe way to enter and exit.
• Teach your children to stand six feet, or three giant steps, away from the curb.
• If your child must cross the street in front of a bus, teach them to walk on the side of the road until they are 10 feet ahead of the bus. Your child and the bus driver should always be able to see each other clearly.
• Driving is an important safety topic to discuss. Car crashes are the number one cause of death for teens.
• Practice with new teen drivers every week, both before AND after they get their license.
• Set a good example. Drive the way you want your teen to drive.
• Sign the New Driver Deal, an agreement that helps clarify what the expectations are for parents and teen drivers. You can view the Deal here: https://www.nsc.org/road/resources/dih/new-driver-deal.
• Parents and caretakers: do not forget to obey school zone speed limits and follow your school’s drop-off procedures. Also, be sure to never pass a school bus that is loading or unloading children.

Backpack Safety

Although lots of today’s homework and reading assignments are online, there are still plenty of things that kids carry around in their school bags. Try to pick a backpack that is designed ergonomically, or one that promotes proper posture and equal weight distribution across your child’s back and shoulders. A well-made backpack can make a big difference in reducing painful and uncomfortable musculoskeletal problems. Other things to consider when it comes to backpack use and safety:

• Ask your child to use both straps of their backpack to help evenly distribute weight.
• Don’t overstuff a backpack! Altogether, it should weigh no more than 5% to 10% of your child’s body weight.
• Use rolling backpacks with caution. They can create tripping and falling hazards in crowded school hallways.

Though it may seem silly, another important thing to remind your child about is to leave their necklaces and jackets with drawstrings at home (or in their locker) when they are playing sports. Leaving these items in a safe, secure place is a great way to reduce or entirely avoid strangulation hazards. And while it is 100% normal for school-aged children to come home with minor bumps and bruises from time to time, it is critical that you never ignore a head injury.

Warning signs that can accompany head injuries (like concussions and other types of traumatic brain injuries, or TBIs) are forgetfulness, confusion, glassy eyes, being disoriented, clumsiness or poor balance, slowed speech, and/or changes in mood, behavior, and/or personality. If you suspect that your child may have sustained a head injury, please seek medical care urgently.

Our team at Galfand Berger knows that the weeks leading into the new school year can be stressful – but remember, it is also a time for excitement and change! If you have a legal question or concern about an injury that your child sustained at school, someone at our firm can help. Contact a representative online now to learn more.

Philadelphia Personal Injury Attorneys at Galfand Berger, LLP, Representing Injured Victims Since 1947

Contact the Philadelphia personal injury attorneys at Galfand Berger LLP today. Call us at 800-222-USWA (8792) or fill out our online form for a free consultation. Located in Philadelphia, Bethlehem, Lancaster, and Reading, we serve clients throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania, including Allentown and Harrisburg.