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With the new school year beginning, parents are being urged to refresh themselves and their children on school bus safety.
Student Transportation Services of Central Ontario (STSCO) says while buses themselves are among the safest forms of travel, the moments before boarding and after exiting are when risks are highest.
Parents are encouraged to talk to their children about bus safety and familiarize them with the bus stop and the boarding process before the first day of school on Tuesday.
For first-time riders, particularly kindergarten students, STSCO hosted orientation programs across the region. CAO Roy Wierenga says those who couldn’t attend can still access resources online. He says there are tools to help children get comfortable before their first ride.
Parents are encouraged to walk children through pickup and drop-off routines and remind them to stay alert around buses. Wierenga stresses that’s where accidents are most likely to happen.
Wierenga says it’s been a busy summer for STSCO, adding that preparations for bus companies have been underway for months in anticipation of the return to school.
With more than 560 buses on the road in this region alone, officials say the role of parents, students, and drivers all factor into keeping everyone safe.
(Written by: Scott Arnold)
