Over the last year, we’ve seen stories about school bus drivers that have brought into question the reliability and training. This time, a story out of Miami reminds us that parents need to serve as an active role in helping kids stay safe – on the school bus and beyond.

According to NBC News, a 6-year-old kindergartner, also autistic, was left on a hot school bus for the entire school day before anyone, including the school bus driver, even noticed. The child is shown active in the surveillance video: sitting up, swaying back and forth, and moving around his bus seat, despite alleged claims the boy was sleeping and therefore forgotten.

As reports on the case surfaced, the public learned the child was just feet away from the school bus aide who was supposed to make sure the child exited the bus along with all the other children. Unfortunately, the child was overlooked and left within the hot confines of the bus.

“The excuses don’t fly. Your job is to check,” said the mother of the boy. “As a parent, you don’t think it can happen to you. It can happen to anybody. It did to us.”

School officials have charged Brown and the bus driver with child neglect shortly after the incident was discovered and announced. Both individuals have resigned from the school district in wake of the unfortunate episode.

The school district itself however has declined to make any comments on the video or on the explanation of why the child was left behind in the hot bus.

The child was finally discovered at the end of the school day when his aunt picked him up from school. According to the mother, the autistic child is now traumatized from the event.

Take safety into your own hands?

As parents, we strive to keep our children safe at all times. But, when safety is left out of our control, it becomes difficult to make sure our children are watched over responsibly.

Of course, it is difficult to take safety into your own hands when you depend on seemingly qualified people to, in this instance, drive your kids to school. But despite this all, you can take a proactive approach to making sure your child is safe at school, even beyond the bus. Consider these school safety ideas as your little one heads into school this year:

Is your school bus driver up-to-date on all aspects of training?

Consider speaking with your child’s principal and asking all the right questions: is the school bus driver qualified? Trained in the case of an emergency? Does the school district offer driver refresher courses for bus drivers? Simply asking the questions alone can unearth potential problems and put a hindrance to child accidents.

Is the playground safe and in operational order?

Many children are injured on playground equipment every year. Ask your child’s principal on when the playground was last inspected, and encourage other parents to ask these same questions as well. There is power in numbers.

About the Pines Salomon Injury Lawyers, APC.

Pines Salomon Injury Lawyers, APC. specialize in children’s injuries. The firm has worked hard to help injured people seek fair financial recovery post-accident. Call the accident lawyers at 1-858-551-2090 or submit your case online for a free and confidential legal review.