School officials advise students to take the bus on September 1 to establish pickup and drop-off areas, but there is some risk involved in transportation.

“We understand things happen, people get late, emergencies, etc., but if everyone plays by the rules, everything is much safer and smoother for the kids,” said Dartmouth Police Traffic Safety Officer Joe Vieira. Review his eight safety tips with your children.

1. Students should stand 12-to-18 inches back on the sidewalk when waiting for the bus, not in the street or on the edge of the sidewalk said Vieira.

2. Vieira said that not all drivers stop for school buses, even though they’re legally obligated to. That’s why the Dartmouth Police Department works with the Registry of Motor Vehicles for the “Yellow Blitz” program—during which the department will target three-to-four areas that drivers commonly bypass school buses and hand out citations—in October. In the meantime, students should look both ways before crossing the street.

3. As the days get shorter and mornings get darker, students and parents should wear light colored jackets or bring a small flashlight so that they are visible to oncoming traffic, said Vieira.

4. Avoid long straps and loose clothing, such as scarves, dangling jackets, and drawstrings. “Our drivers are really good here, but there have been instances where kids are dragged [because they were caught on the bus].”

5. “Everyone wants to get up and talk. I’ve done it,” said Vieira. However, it is important that students stay seated and listen to the bus driver, he said.

6. Vieira also warned against parents dropping off their students in the Town Hall parking lot or across the street. “We don’t want kids walking across parking lots or Slocum Road,” he said. The Town Hall entrance is an office building, but also services the buses. “This year, if they’re obstructing traffic, they’re going to get a citation,” said Vieira.

7. Build an extra three-to-five minutes into your commute, said Vieira. Slocum Road will be slow due to traffic around the middle school, Bishop Stang High School, and Town Hall—and Quinn Elementary is right around the corner on Hawthorn Street. Exercise patience, said Vieira. Plus—travel routes will be longer due to detours around the Padanaram Causeway.

8. Look for more information on travel safety during School Bus Safety Week in October, or contact the Dartmouth Police Department.