Tuesday, August 13, 2013
“As children begin preparing to return to school, it's important for parents and children to go over school bus safety tips together," says Susan Laurence, injury prevention coordinator, Trauma Services at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center. "This will help ensure a safe, enjoyable start to the school year for everyone.”
According to the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, an average of 19 school-age occupants of school transportation vehicles and pedestrians die in school transportation-related traffic crashes each year.
According to Laurence, many injuries happen when children are boarding or exiting the bus. “A blind spot extends about ten feet in front of the bus, obstructing the driver’s view,” she said. “Often times, children are not aware of this blind spot and might mistakenly believe that if they can see the bus, the bus driver can see them,” she said.
Laurence offers the following suggestions to parents on how they can ensure their child is safe before, during and after their school bus ride.
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center ranks third in the nation among all Honor Roll hospitals in U.S.News and World Report’s 2013 Best Children’s Hospitals ranking. It is ranked #1 for cancer and in the top 10 for nine of 10 pediatric specialties. Cincinnati Children’s is one of the top two recipients of pediatric research grants from the National Institutes of Health, and a research and teaching affiliate of the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. The medical center is internationally recognized for improving child health and transforming delivery of care through fully integrated, globally recognized research, education and innovation. Additional information can be found at www.cincinnatichildrens.org. Connect on the Cincinnati Children’s blog, via Facebook and on Twitter.