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Transportation Safety

Back-to-School Safety Tips: Transportation Safety

Whether students walk, bike, ride the bus, drive, or are dropped off by a parent, these transportation safety reminders can help schools and families prepare for a safer start to the new school year.

Amy Rock

• 7 min read
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Back-to-School Safety Tips: Transportation Safety
Photo by Eyestetix Studio / Unsplash

While school transportation remains one of the safest ways for students to travel—less than 1% of child traffic fatalities occur in school transportation vehicles—the beginning of the school year brings more students walking and biking to school, buses returning to their routes, teen drivers back on the road, and heavier traffic during arrival and dismissal.

Whether students walk, bike, ride the bus, drive, or are dropped off by a parent or caregiver, reviewing transportation safety expectations before the first day of school can help reduce risk.

Below are transportation safety reminders for students, families, motorists, and schools as the new school year begins.

Transportation by the Numbers

How U.S. K–12 Students Get to School

The estimated share of students using each transportation method on a typical school day.

40%

Ride a school bus

33%

Dropped off or picked up by car

13%

Walk to school

6%

Drive themselves

4%

Bike or use another mobility device

483,041
Yellow school buses operate daily nationwide

Together, they transport an estimated 20.3 million to 26 million K–12 students each day.

Source: Institute of Education Sciences

Walking to School Safely

Walking is an important way many students get to and from school, but it also requires extra attention—particularly during the busy arrival and dismissal periods at the beginning of the school year.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), school-age pedestrian fatalities are highest during the morning and afternoon hours when students are traveling to and from school. Children ages five to 11 account for approximately 67% of school-age pedestrians killed in school transportation-related crashes, highlighting why schools and families should reinforce safe walking and crossing habits with elementary students.

Students walking to school should:

  • Use sidewalks whenever available. If there is no sidewalk, walk facing traffic and stay as far from the roadway as possible.
  • Cross only at designated crosswalks or intersections. Avoid crossing between parked cars or mid-block where drivers may not expect pedestrians.
  • Look left, right, and left again before crossing the street, and continue watching for traffic while crossing.
  • Make eye contact with drivers before stepping into a crosswalk to make sure they have seen you.
  • Stay alert and avoid distractions. Put away phones, remove headphones, and remain aware of traffic and surroundings.
  • Walk with an adult when appropriate. Younger children should walk with a trusted adult or older sibling until they can safely navigate the route on their own.

Bicycle & E-Bike Safety

More students are choosing bicycles and e-bikes to get to school. Before the school year begins, families and schools should review safe riding habits and remind students to stay alert around traffic, pedestrians, and school buses.

Students riding bicycles or e-bikes should:

  • Always wear a properly fitted helmet. Helmets significantly reduce the risk of serious head injuries in the event of a crash.
  • Obey traffic laws and signals. Ride in the same direction as traffic, stop at stop signs and traffic signals, and use hand signals when turning.
  • Slow down near schools and crosswalks. School campuses often have heavy pedestrian traffic during arrival and dismissal.
  • Stay alert and avoid distractions. Keep phones put away and avoid wearing headphones that may prevent riders from hearing traffic or emergency vehicles.
  • Yield to pedestrians. Slow down and give people walking the right of way at crosswalks, sidewalks, and shared paths.
  • Know your school's policies. Some districts have rules regarding where bicycles and e-bikes may be ridden, parked, or stored on campus.

As e-bikes become increasingly common among middle and high school students, many districts are also reviewing policies, educating students on safe operation, and working with families to address concerns about speed, rider behavior, and parking.

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RELATED: E-Bikes on Campus: Common Policy Approaches for Schools

School Bus Safety

According to NHTSA, students are far more likely to be injured traveling in a passenger vehicle than on a school bus. However, the greatest risks occur while students are waiting for, boarding, exiting, or crossing near the bus.

The National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services estimates that drivers illegally passed stopped school buses 43.5 million times during the 2022–23 school year, placing students at risk as they board or exit the bus.

For Students Riding the Bus

Students who ride the school bus should:

  • Arrive at the bus stop at least five minutes early and wait in a safe location away from traffic.
  • Stay at least 10 feet away from the bus until it comes to a complete stop and the driver signals it is safe to approach.
  • Cross the street only in front of the bus and only after making eye contact with the driver and receiving the driver's signal to cross.
  • Never walk behind the bus as the driver may not be able to see you.
  • Remain seated while the bus is moving and keep aisles clear of backpacks and other belongings.
  • Follow the driver's instructions at all times.

For Other Drivers

Motorists can help protect students by:

  • Stopping for school buses whenever state law requires.
  • Watching carefully for children near bus stops, especially during morning pickup and afternoon drop-off.
  • Slowing down in neighborhoods and school zones as children may unexpectedly enter the roadway.
  • Remaining alert and avoiding distractions, particularly when approaching a stopped school bus.

Students Driving to School & Parent Pick-Up/Drop-Off Safety

The beginning of the school year brings increased vehicle traffic around schools as parents adjust to new routines and many high school students begin driving to campus again. According to AAA, more than one-quarter of child pedestrian injuries and fatalities occur between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., when many students are traveling home from school.

For Teen Drivers

Students who drive to school should:

  • Slow down in school zones and parking lots, where pedestrians, bicyclists, and buses are all sharing the roadway.
  • Eliminate distractions by putting phones away before driving.
  • Watch carefully for students crossing the street, especially near crosswalks, buses, and parking lot entrances.
  • Allow extra travel time during the first weeks of school when traffic patterns may be heavier than usual.
  • Follow all campus traffic and parking rules, including speed limits and designated student parking areas.

For Parents & Caregivers

Parents and caregivers can help keep arrival and dismissal safe by:

  • Following the school's established traffic patterns and directions from staff.
  • Using designated loading and unloading areas rather than stopping in travel lanes or crosswalks.
  • Avoiding double parking or making U-turns near school entrances.
  • Putting phones away and remaining alert while driving through school zones.
  • Helping younger children exit and enter vehicles from the curbside whenever possible.
  • Expect heavier traffic during the first few weeks of school and allow extra travel time.

How School Leaders Can Improve Transportation Safety

Safe arrival and dismissal depend on planning, communication, and coordination among school administrators, transportation staff, families, and community partners. As schools prepare for the new year, leaders should consider the following:

Communicate transportation expectations before school begins

Share arrival and dismissal procedures, traffic maps, bus stop expectations, and transportation reminders through email, newsletters, websites, social media, and other district communications.

Include transportation personnel in school safety planning

Bus drivers are often the first and last school employees to interact with students each day. Transportation personnel should understand emergency procedures, know how to report concerns, and be included in school safety planning and communication.

Strengthen communication between transportation and school staff

Make sure bus drivers know who to contact if they observe concerning student behavior, medical emergencies, bullying, suspicious activity, or other issues during transportation.

Verify transportation staff and vehicles are ready for the new school year

Ensure bus drivers and other transportation staff have completed required background checks, meet district and state qualifications, receive ongoing training, and understand school safety procedures. Schools should also verify buses have received required inspections and maintenance before students return.

Reinforce transportation safety expectations with students

Use morning announcements, classroom discussions, assemblies, and other communications during the first weeks of school to remind students about pedestrian, bicycle, bus, and parking lot safety.

Review operations and make improvements

The first weeks of school provide an opportunity to watch arrival and dismissal in real time, identify bottlenecks, gather feedback from transportation staff, crossing guards, school resource officers, and families, and make adjustments before small issues become recurring problems.

When reviewing transportation safety procedures this school year, these resources may also be helpful:

Topics: Insights