For Immediate Release

For More Information, Contact:
Shannon Jordan, Marketing Assistant
Edgar Snyder & Associates
1-800-394-3660, ext. 1769

Back-to-School Safety Tips

It's back-to-school time, so Edgar Snyder & Associates is offering back-to-school bus, playground, and backpack tips to keep students safe as they return to their classrooms.

While school buses are eight times safer than passenger vehicles, there are still hundreds of accidents involving school buses in Pennsylvania every year. There are a number of safety tips that can be followed to avoid school bus accidents. For example, parents and caregivers should teach their children to make sure no cars are passing the bus before they get off and to take five big steps out from the front of the bus, until they can see driver's face, before crossing the street. If a bus stop seems dangerous, parents can talk to the school office about changing the location.

Every year, over 200,000 children visit emergency rooms with injuries suffered on playgrounds. To avoid injuries from the most common type of playground accident, falls, there should be at least a nine inch layer of shock absorbing surface material underneath and around playground equipment. Families can visit Edgar Snyder & Associates web site to see Pennsylvania's playground report card.

Backpacks have been cited for causing muscle strains, stiffness, and numbness in the arms and hands. They should be designed for safety and comfort, with wide straps and padding in the back and shoulders. Backpacks should also have belts that strap around the hips and chest for extra support and pockets and compartments that more evenly distribute weight across the back. Additionally, they should not weigh more than 10 to 15 percent of a child's body weight.

Edgar Snyder & Associates is a plaintiff's personal injury law firm with offices in Pittsburgh, Altoona, Ebensburg, Erie and Johnstown. Those interested in learning about additional back-to-school safety tips can visit www.edgarsnyder.com.