Riding the school bus can be a new and exciting experience for many children. In most cases, it's the first time children have traveled on their own, away from the watchful eyes of their parents. The school bus is a very safe way for your child to travel to and from school. In fact, school buses are the safest vehicles on the road. Very few deaths and injuries to children involve a school bus. Most mishaps take place outside the bus, where children can be struck by the bus or by motorists illegally passing the bus. Here are some precautions you can take: 

* Arrive at the bus stop on time. Arriving too early may tempt children to wander or get info mischief
* If your children miss the bus, make sure they know what to do and what not to do (go back home, report to his/her teacher and never accept a ride from a stranger)
* Discuss and plan with your children where they can go in case of an emergency such as to a friend's or neighbour's house
* Make your children visible during the dark by using retro-reflective tape on their clothing
* Have children walk at least 10 feet away from the bus when crossing the road. This is a perfect distance for the bus driver to see your children as they cross.
* Any type of horseplay, pushing and running is forbidden near the bus
* Teach your children to behave responsibly on the bus to help make the ride safer. 
* You or a caregiver should be at the bus stop or at home when your child gets off the bus. If that's not possible, make sure your child knows exactly what to do - continue straight home, wait for you, call someone, go to a neighbor's house, or whatever you've arranged beforehand. 
* Be sure your children understand to whom they should and shouldn't talk when they're on their own. 
* Remember to make sure that your child wears the right gear for walking to and from bus stops in bad weather. But to make sure that the clothing your child wears won't get caught anywhere on the bus.