Red Cross shares safety checklist as students head back to school

(WAND) - The American Red Cross is sharing a back to school safety checklist for parents. 

If your student is younger or going to school for the first time, the Red Cross recommends teaching them: 

• Their phone number
• Their address 
• How to get in touch with parents at work
• How to get in touch with another trusted adult
• How to dial 911
• Not to talk to strangers or accept rides from strangers 

If your child walks to school, teach them: 

• Walk on the sidewalk. If there is no sidewalk, walk facing traffic. 
• Stop and look left, right, and left again before crossing the street. 
• Cross the street at the corner and obey traffic signals and stay in the crosswalk. 
• Never run into the street or cross between parked cars. 

If your student rides the bus, teach them: 

• Arrive at the bus stop early and stand back from the curb while waiting
• Board the bus after it comes to a complete stop. Never use an alternate bus. 
• Stay in clear view of the bus driver. Never walk behind the bus

If your student bikes to school, teach them: 

• Always wear a helmet
• Ride on the right in the same direction as traffic

If you drive your child to school, teach them: 

• Always wear a seat belt. Younger children should use car seats or booster seats until the lap-shoulder belt fits properly (typically for children ages 8-12 and over 4'9". Ride in the back seat until they are at least 13 years old. 

If you have a teenager driving to school, make sure they: 

• Use seat belts
• Don't use their cell phone to text or make calls and avoid eating or drinking while driving.

If you are thinking of getting your student a cell phone, the Red Cross recommends: 

• Downloading the free Red Cross First Aid and Emergency apps. These have first aid tips for common emergencies and real-time weather alerts.

If your student is going to be in sports, make sure they: 

• Wear protective gear
• Warm up and cool down
• Watch out for others
• Know the location of the closest first aid kit and AED