Children must take precautions

Thirty years ago, the school bus driver in rural New York picking up my sons had a speaker horn that she held in her hand and the children crossed the road were under her command: “Stay. Stop! OK to cross. Look left.”

There was a protocol on being picked up and dropped off. When stopped for school buses on P.E.I., I note whether the children check for oncoming traffic; many do not, especially the younger ones. I think it should be a requirement for all children to look both ways and they should be taught the difference between crossing a two-way road in front of a stopped school bus and crossing the road. In North America when crossing a two-way road to get on a stopped school bus, first check left for oncoming traffic not stopping, then check right for following traffic passing and not stopping, then cross if safe.

The situation is different when getting off the school bus and crossing the road: check right for oncoming traffic not stopping, then near the middle of the road check left for following traffic passing and not stopping: check right, check left mid-road, then cross if safe.

In the end, as a pedestrian, it’s cars and trucks that you have to look out for, that run you down. Consider requiring the kids to look before and while crossing, especially the younger ones; also, crossing under the command of a bus driver with a speaker horn.

Tony Lloyd, Mount Stewart