Four central Alberta school divisions are joining together to teach young riders about bus safety.
Chinook’s Edge, Wolf Creek, Red Deer Public and Red Deer Catholic school divisions, along with Prairie Bus Lines, are rolling out the First Rider bus safety event next week.
The First Rider program targets students in kindergarten and Grade 1, along with any other students who will be riding a school bus for the first time.
The 45-minute program is free of charge and involves four activity stations where participants become familiar and comfortable with protocols, procedures and expectations that will make their busing experience successful. Each participant will also receive a goodie bag.
Participants start by watching a video of Winnie-the-Pooh as he rides a school bus for the first time. They will then learn about safety priorities at the bus stop, conduct a safety evacuation, and discover the ‘danger zone’ around the bus where incidents are most likely to occur.
Finally, they will hop on a school bus with their parents or guardian for a 10-minute ride to learn about loading and exiting the bus correctly.
At least 200 students have participated annually in the First Rider program since it began in 2009.
First Rider will be offered in: