Parents:

Parents should ensure that their children are familiar with school bus safety rules and school board transportation policies, even if their children do not use a school bus regularly. Parents whose children are bused regularly should ensure that the child is at the bus stop on time. Parents should try to meet their children at the bus stop, or form a pool of volunteers to meet the children. Always meet the child on the same side of the street where the child leaves the school bus.
Parents must be aware that they are responsible for their children until they step on the bus and immediately after they exit the bus.

Students:
All students should be familiar with school bus safety rules, even if they do not ride on a school bus every day. They should also be familiar with the rules for emergencies.

Canadian Standards Association (CSA):

Ontario prescribes by regulation that all new school buses offered for sale or sold in Ontario must conform to the CSA standard for school buses: Canadian Standards Association Standard D250 M 1985.

The Ontario Ministry of Transportation recently participated in the review and updating of this standard and will be incorporating the changes when the standard is published.
The federal government has responsibility for establishing new vehicle standards, and the provinces are responsible for in-use standards. The Canadian Standards Association D250 standard is adopted by Transport Canada in Regulations under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act as the standard which must be met.

Programs for School Vehicle Riders and Caregivers

First Rider Program: Overview
This overview provides general information on the First Rider Program. More detailed information is available in the First Rider Program: Operations Manual, in the section of this Guide titled "Information for the School Bus Safety Professional".
What ... is the First Rider program?
The First Rider program is an education and awareness program. It is designed to promote school bus safety to young children and their parents.
It familiarizes young children who are beginning school with school buses and helps them overcome any fears they may have about riding on the "big yellow bus". It also provides information to children and their parents on school bus safety procedures, including how to get on and off the bus safely. The program is planned as a fun learning experience for the participants.
Who ... is it for?
The First Rider program is targeted at young children who will be entering the school system in September. It is primarily intended for those children who will be using school buses to go to and from school on a regular basis. It also provides information to parents on school bus safety procedures.
How ... does it work?
The First Rider program can be sponsored by local school boards, school bus operators, police, volunteers, etc. The program is approximately 45 minutes in length and usually includes:
* A safety video,
* A ride on a school bus,
* A review of school bus safety procedures,
* Presentations (can include information from school bus driver, i.e. circle check, police, etc.,) and
* Related activities such as looking at a stationary bus.
Depending on the number of children, several First Rider programs can be scheduled for the same day, or over several days, and at varying locations, usually prior to the beginning of the school year.
Information on the program is provided by local school boards to the prospective parents at kindergarten registration or orientation and is also distributed to the local media prior to the event. The event takes place in a school parking lot or other area away from traffic, with adjacent facilities for watching the video and participating in the activities. Refreshments (often donated by local commercial sponsors) may also be available as part of the program.
The event usually begins with registration. Children watch a video (i.e. Winnie the Pooh's Great School Bus Adventure). Presentations can also be scheduled at this time. Afterwards, children proceed to the bus. The rules learned in the video are reviewed, and then children board the bus with their parents.
Children are driven to a designated area (which may be the same or a different school). Children then get off the bus (bus rules are reviewed again). Rules for loading and walking in front of the bus are reviewed. Presentations and refreshments may also be scheduled for this time. Children may receive a certificate for completing the program. Parents may also receive additional information on school board transportation policies and safety procedures, such as ensuring that children are dropped off and picked up on time and that young children are supervised while waiting at the bus stop.
The program is normally provided free to participants.
When ... does it happen?
The program is usually scheduled for a time in late August or early in September in order to capture the child population that will be beginning school in September. It can be scheduled for any time that is convenient for participants and for those delivering the program.
Where ... is it?
The program itself takes place on school property or some other secure location with associated facilities nearby.
The program has been successful in a number of communities, including the Ottawa area and Thunder Bay. Other communities have successfully implemented similar education and awareness programs in their jurisdictions.
Why?
School bus transportation is extremely safe. To maintain this safety record, children and their parents must be familiar with school bus safety rules such as how to get on and off the bus safely and how to behave on the bus. The First Rider program is an opportunity for school boards and school bus operators to introduce school bus safety rules to children, and for parents to become familiar with school bus procedures.
It also allows parents and children to ask questions about school bus safety and related issues.
How ... do I get more information about the First Rider program?
Contact the Ministry of Transportation's Regional Planner for your area. This person will be able to provide additional information and suggestions for implementing a First Rider program.
John Warkentin Southwest Region (519) 873-4420
Paul Allore Eastern Region (613) 545-4608
Jeff Griffith Northern Region (705) 497-5453
Tom Marinis Northwest Region (807) 473-2198
Central Region 416-235-5486

Proper Use of Seat Belts

* A properly worn seat belt greatly increases your chances of surviving a motor vehicle collision.
* No doubling up – only one person to a seat belt.
* A typical seat belt assembly consists of a lap and shoulder belt. The shoulder belt should be worn closely against the body and over the shoulder and across the chest, never under the arm. The lap belt should be firm against the body and low across the hips.
* Air bags do not take the place of a seat belt. When air bags activate during a motor vehicle collision, they reduce the forward movement of the upper torso and minimize impact. They do not prevent drivers and passengers from being thrown from the car.
When a seat belt is worn correctly, it will apply most of the collision or stopping forces across the chest and pelvis, which are better able to withstand collision forces. A seat belt should not be worn twisted, as the full width of the belt is required to spread motor vehicle collision forces across the body.
Wearing a seat belt loosely or placing the shoulder belt under the arm or behind your back instead of across the chest, could, in the case of a collision or sudden stop, result in an injury-producing impact with the vehicle interior, or ejection from the vehicle. Wearing a lap belt across the stomach, instead of low across the hips, allows collision forces to be applied to the soft tissue of the body, increasing the chance of injury.
Pregnant women must wear seat belts – wearing the lap and shoulder belt and sitting as upright as possible. The lap belt should be worn low so it pulls downward on the pelvic bones and not directly against the abdomen.

Be courteous

* Respect motorcyclists - they are just as entitled to use the road as you are.
o Speed and other aggressive tactics such as tailgating can potentially be more dangerous to the motorcyclist, who has less protection on a smaller, open vehicle.
o Give other drivers space to change lanes, avoid cutting them off and signal your turns and lane changes properly.
Be aware of motorcycles (and other vehicles) around your car

* Check your mirrors frequently so you are aware of the other vehicles around you and how close they are.
o Remember to check your blind spot, especially before changing lanes. A motorcycle is small enough to be entirely hidden within your blind spot.

Transport Security

The Secretary of State for Transport is responsible for the security and (less directly) resilience of UK transport systems. Recent events such as the attacks on London, 9/11 and the Madrid bombings have brought security concerns to the fore and transport security is an important part of Government's long-term counter-terrorist strategy (CONTEST) with its four pillars Protect, Prevent, Pursue and Prepare.

The Secretary of State is empowered by legislation to require the regulated transport industries to implement security measures designed to protect their infrastructure, their hardware, staff and the public using it, from attack. The Director of Transport Security and Contingencies (TRANSEC) is authorised to sign Directions obliging the industries to carry out the Government's requirements.

There is no equivalent legal basis on the resilience side, although the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 placed requirements on most transport operators to cooperate with the primary responders in contingency planning and in sharing information. DfT (not just TRANSEC) acts less formally through its contacts with operators to ensure that they are aware of the Government's assessment of risks and have made their own plans accordingly.

Ministers play an important role in the Government-wide counter-terrorist and resilience and recovery machinery, primarily through membership of the relevant Ministerial level committee. In the event of a serious threat or an actual incident the Secretary of State and/or ministers would be involved in key decisions (for example cessation of flights or closure of a railway station) and would be expected to attend Ministerial level COBR (Cabinet Office Briefing Room) meetings.

Tips for Motorcyclists

Helmets save lives, and are required in Ontario by law - almost 10% of riders killed and almost 15% of riders injured in collisions were not wearing helmets.

* Always wear an approved motorcycle helmet and protective gear when riding.

* High-quality riding gear can protect you in the event of a fall or collision. Always wear long sleeves and pants to protect your skin.

* Consider wearing a jacket with padding in the shoulders and elbows, leather gloves and pants and boots. Ensure that protective gear does not interfere with riding or controls.

* Wear bright colors, such as red, yellow or orange or reflective clothing to make yourself more visible to other motorists.

* Many motorcycle collisions occur between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m. Always ride with lights on to increase visibility.

Be seen at intersections – over one third of motorcycle collisions are intersection related.

* Watch for vehicles that may make a left turn across your path or pull out from a side street.

* Don’t assume that other drivers see you. Drivers that have collided with motorcycles often say they did not see the motorcycle until it was too late.

* Approach intersections slowly, move as far away as you can from the other vehicle and avoid being in other drivers’ blind spots.

* When making a right turn, angle your motorcycle across the lane (45 degrees) to create a larger blocking position and to make yourself more visible to drivers behind you. Riding in the blocking position prevents other vehicles from sharing the lane or getting too close to you. As the term implies, the blocking position “blocks” other vehicles from sharing your lane.

* Be sure to check over your shoulder for any cars or pedestrians before proceeding with the turn.