It’s the most wonderful time of the year…

As children enjoy their last few days of alarm-free mornings and beating the bell to class, parents are busy preparing for that first day of school.

With summer fun slipping away, to be replaced by new learning adventures and possibilities, start the school year off right with some safety tips for your “Littles”.

Remind your school-bound babies to Stop, Look and Listen.

Children are excited to see their friends, especially after the 2020-2021 school year landed our eager learners in remote learning. As such, children may not be as vigilant when it comes to school bus safety.

Motorists will require patience. COVID regulations surrounding boarding and exiting buses may take longer as everyone gets familiar with the new normal.

*Rules around properly stopping for buses and school crossings are as follows:

• drivers travelling in both directions must stop for a stopped school bus with its upper red lights flashing
• when you approach the bus, stop at a safe distance (approximately 20 metres is recommended) to let children get on or off the bus and cross the road
• do not move forward until the upper red lights have stopped flashing or the bus begins to move
• all motorists, including cyclists, must stop and yield the whole roadway. Only when pedestrians and school crossing guards have completely crossed the road can you continue on your way.

There is an expected increase in the number of students who will be choosing bicycles as their preferred mode of transportation. It is vital that everyone on our roadways keep an eye out for cyclists at intersections and in designated bicycle lanes.

Lincoln Louttit, Manager – Corporate Communications, Planning and Research for Sault Police Services, provided ONNtv / SaultOnline with some safety tips for the start of the 2021-2022 school year.

*Excerpt taken from Back to School Safety Sault – Sault Police Services