Riding the Bus

School bus transportation is safe. In fact, buses are safer than cars! Even so, every year students are killed and injured in incidents involving school buses. More often than not, these deaths and injuries did not occur in a crash, but as the pupils were entering and exiting the bus. Remember these safety tips:

• Have a safe place to wait for your bus, away from traffic and the street.

• Stay away from the bus until it comes to a complete stop and the driver signals you to enter.

• When being dropped off, exit the bus and walk ten giant steps away from the bus. Keep a safe distance between you and the bus. Also, remember that the bus driver can see you best when you are back away from the bus.

• Use the handrail to enter and exit the bus.

• Stay away from the bus until the driver gives his/her signal that it's okay to approach.

• Be aware of the street traffic around you. Drivers are required to follow certain rules of the road concerning school buses, however, not all do. Protect yourself and watch out!

Walking and Biking to School

Even if you do not ride in a motor vehicle, you still have to protect yourself. Because of minimal supervision, young pedestrians face a wide variety of decisions making situations and dangers while walking to and from school. Here are a few basic safety tips to follow:

• Mind all traffic signals and/or the crossing guard — never cross the street against a light, even if you don't see any traffic coming.

• Walk your bike through intersections.

• Walk with a buddy.

• Wear reflective material...it makes you more visible to street traffic.

Riding in a Car

You might have heard before that most traffic crashes occur close to home ... they do. Safety belts are the best form of protection passengers have in the event of a crash. They can lower your risk of injury by 45%. You are four times more likely to be seriously injured or killed if ejected from the vehicle in a crash. Everyone needs to be buckled up properly. That means older kids in seat belts, younger kids in booster seats and little kids in child safety seats.

Attending College

Attending college is a right of passage for many high school graduates. For the first time in their lives they are going to be living life on their own terms. No sooner than their parents drop them off at their dorms, do these young people get bombarded with offers for credit cards and other pay services. Credit card companies set up tables on college campuses across the country and offer bottles of soda, novelty pens, and t-shirts just for filling out an application. Inevitably, thousands of students sign up every year and are granted large credit lines despite having no proof of income.

So as you can imagine, there is a great deal of importance for students to protect all of their documents with identifying information. follow these tips for students to better safeguard their vital information:

• Always keep your credit cards, checkbook, bank statements, Driver's License, and especially your Student ID under lock and key. Most colleges use your Social Security number as your student ID number and many people will have access to it, such as your teachers and all of their staff. You should request another identifying number from your institution instead of using your Social Security number.

• If you live in a dormitory, make sure that all of the doors and windows to your residence are equipped with good quality locking mechanisms. Do not lend your key to anyone, if the key becomes lost or stolen; arrange to have the locks changed immediately. Lock you room at night. If you leave your dorm room or apartment for any length of time, LOCK your door. It only takes someone a few seconds to steal something out of your residence. This kind of thing is very common. It is best if your dormitory has a card access system, which enables immediate lock changes when you change roommates, or lose your key.

• Get a private mailbox. Many colleges distribute mail by room or apartment rather than by name. Everyone living with you has access to your statements and letters. Your campus post office should be able to sell you a private box for a nominal fee.

• Never leave your purse, wallet, or backpack unattended in a public area such as the library or cafeteria. If it is not nailed down, it will probably disappear quickly.

• If you are a freshman, consider declining the offer to publish your photo and personal information for distribution to the campus community. They could be used to target you for harassment.

• Know where you are going at all times. Your campus security office should offer maps of the campus and immediate area. Know the location of all the emergency phones on campus.

• Discuss your schedule with your parents and a few close friends. Except in special circumstances, they should be able to locate you at all times.

• Always travel in groups. If your campus provides a shuttle service, use it. Always avoid "short-cuts." Never walk alone at night.

• In the evenings, it is best if your dormitory has a central entrance/exit where access is monitored. An outside telephone should be available for visitors to call for admittance. Security officials and/or residential advisors should regularly patrol the dormitory.

• Know your neighbors, and make sure they know you. Suspicious situations, such as loitering, can be recognized more easily, and reported to the proper authorities.