Transporting children safely 2018

1. TRANSPORTING CHILDREN
SAFELY
TransportationTraining
August 2011
Click left mouse button or space bar to advance slides

2. Why do I need training?
 Minimum Standard Requirements
 TheTexas Legislature passed a law during the 81st
Legislative Regular Session that requires anyone in a
licensed or registered child care program who
transports a child whose chronological or
developmental age is younger than nine years to
complete at least two hours of annual training on
transportation safety.
 Employees, including the director and primary
caregiver, who transport children must complete the
two hours of training prior to transporting children.

3. Documentation
 After reading through this information, you
will be assessed on your knowledge of all
information covered
 This assessment is a part of the Minimum
Standards requirements for training
 You will receive a certificate for the training
 A copy of your quiz results, along with your
certificate, will be kept in your personnel file

4. Why is safety training
important?
 It provides you with basic knowledge on the correct selection,
usage, and installation of child safety seats as well as
information on safety in and around vehicles.
 When you are transporting children during field trips you must
assume the responsibility for the child’s safety during
transport.
 This training does not certify you to be a child safety seat
technician, but the more knowledgeable you are about child
passenger safety, the more likely children will be transported
safely.

5. National Statistics
 Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of
death and injury to children age three and over.
 Nearly 50 percent of the children killed in motor
vehicle crashes are found to be unrestrained.
 82% of car seats are installed incorrectly; the
misuse rate is reported as 82%.
 Passenger Safety Project atTexas AgriLife
Extension has found misuse rates to be as high
as 99 % in the over 17,000 inspections reviewed
by the team.

6. Who needs to wear a type of
safety restraint?
 CurrentTexas Law – Sept. 2009 states:
 Children less than age 8, unless taller than 4’9"
must be in a child passenger safety seat system
according to the instructions of the manufacturer
of the safety seat system.
 All occupants of a vehicle, not required to be in a
safety seat system, are required to be secured by a
safety belt, no matter where they are seated in
the vehicle.

7. Why do kids need child
safety seats?
 Lap/shoulder belts were designed to restrain
adults in vehicles.They do not fit children and
cannot adequately protect them in a crash.
 Children are not just small adults.Their bodies
are still developing, and they are unable to
withstand crash forces.
 Although the primary reason child safety seats
were developed was to prevent ejection, they
also help to distribute crash forces to the
strongest parts of the child’s body as well as
spread those forces over a larger area of the
body.

8. What does each type of seat do
to make each child safe?
 Rear-facing child safety seats are used to manage crash forces for infants.
Since infants have no strong body parts, crash forces are distributed along
the entire back of the shell of the seat rather than to the baby’s head, neck,
or spine.
 Forward-facing child safety seats have harnesses that prevent ejection and
distribute crash forces to the strongest parts of the older child’s body, which
are the shoulders and the hips.These harness straps also spread the crash
forces out so they are not concentrated in any one area of the body.
 Booster seats are needed for older children, ages 4–8+, who have outgrown
the harness systems in their child safety seats (usually around age 4 and 40
lbs) and are still not ready to use the lap/shoulder belts in the vehicle. For
these children, booster seats are needed to raise the child up enough so that
the lap/shoulder belt will fit correctly and protect the child in the event of a
crash.

9. Proper use of child safety
seats
1. The correct selection of a child safety seat is
based on the child’s age, weight, height, and
physical tolerance.
2. The child must be properly placed in the
child safety seat.
3. The child safety seat should be correctly and
securely installed in the vehicle.
All three elements must be met for a child to
be protected from crash forces.

10. Crash Dynamics
 Newton’s basic law of physics states that an object in
motion will remain in motion at the original speed
until acted upon by an outside force
 For a vehicle, the outside force is another vehicle, a
tree or some other hard object, or the vehicle’s
brakes.
 For unrestrained occupants inside the vehicle, the
outside force can be some hard interior surface like
the dashboard or windshield or even the pavement if
ejected.
 For restrained occupants, the outside force stopping
them in a crash will be their safety belt or for
children their child safety seat.

11. Force
 The amount of force involved in a crash can
be estimated by multiplying the weight of the
occupant times the speed of the vehicle
before the crash.
40 lb child X 30 mph
= 1200 lbs of force

12. Ride Down
 To take advantage of the vehicle’s ability to
slow down gradually, occupants must be
tightly secured to the vehicle.
 Restraints are the key factor in allowing
occupants to slow down with the vehicle
rather than independently of the vehicle.This
concept is known as the ‘ride down.’
 Adult lap/shoulder belts and child restraints
allow the occupant to ‘ride down the crash’
with the vehicle.

13. Restraints Reduce Injury By:
 preventing ejection, which is the primary purpose of restraints.
 contacting the body at the strongest parts. For an adult and older
child, the hips and shoulders are the strongest parts. For an
infant, there are no strong parts.That is why rear-facing seats are
so important.The shell protects the entire torso of the infant.
 helping to spread crash forces over a wider area of the body.
Lap/shoulder belts and the harness system of a forward-facing
child restraint spread crash forces over a wide area of the body.
For an infant, crash forces are spread across the entire shell of
the rear-facing seat.
 helping the body “ride down” the crash or, as mentioned before,
slow down more gradually with the vehicle.
 protecting the head, neck, and spine by limiting forward motion
of the occupant and preventing contact with a hard surface in or
out of the vehicle.The rear-facing seat does an even better job of
protecting the infant’s head, neck, and spine in a crash.

14. Rear-Facing Infant Seat
 Infants must stay rear-facing until at least one
year and 20 pounds. It is safer to keep an infant rear-facing
even longer .Rear-facing infant seats usually start at birth or
5 pounds and go to 22 pounds (some newer models go to
30, 32 or 35 pounds).
 Use a rear-facing infant seat as long as the baby is within
the manufacturer’s weight and height limits and the baby’s
head stays within the shell (comes within 1" of the top of
the shell).
 When a baby outgrows the infant seat but is still under one
year old and/or less than 20 pounds, a rear-facing
convertible seat that goes up to 30–35 pounds may be used.

15. Rear-Facing Convertible Seat
 Convertible seats can be used both rear-facing and
forward-facing depending on the size and age of the child.
 Most convertible seats go to 30–35 pounds rear-facing.
Some newer models now go to 40 pounds rear-facing.
 The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends
that children stay rear-facing to age two or to the weight
and height limit of their seat. New research shows that
children who stay rear-facing until age two or more are five
times safer than if forward-facing.
 A five-point harness system offers the best protection and
comfort for an infant.This type of harness system has
restraint straps that protect in five places: at the child’s
shoulders, hips or iliac crest, and at the crotch.

16. Forward-Facing Convertible
Seat
 When an infant is at least one year AND 20 pounds,
the convertible seat may be installed forward-facing
(note that some convertible seats start at 22 pounds
for forward-facing).These seats usually
accommodate a child up to 40 pounds.
 Occasionally, a child will be too tall for a forward-
facing convertible seat but still under 40 pounds.The
mid-point of the child’s ears should not be higher
than the top of the back of the safety seat. In this
case, a combination seat with an internal harness is
the best option.

17. Combination Seat
 A combination seat combines a five-point
harness with a belt-positioning high back
booster. At the store, this type of seat is usually
called a booster seat with harness.
 The harness system is used for a child up to 40
pounds (some new seats go to a higher weight
limit) and secured using the vehicle belt system
or LATCH system.
 When the child reaches the harness weight limit,
the harness system is removed, and the seat can
be used as a high-back belt-positioning booster.

18. Booster Seats
 Booster seats are used as a transition seat when a child is over 40
pounds but is too small to fit in the vehicle’s safety belt system.
 Booster seats must be used with lap/shoulder belts in the vehicle.
 Basically, there are two types of booster seats. One is a high-back
booster, and the other is a backless booster.
 Booster seats go to 80–100 pounds (a few seats go over 100
pounds) depending on the manufacturer.
 When using a backless booster seat as a belt-positioning safety
seat, make sure there is a head restraint in the vehicle to protect
the child’s head. If there is no head restraint, a high-back belt-
positioning booster may be used.
 Most high-back boosters have a shoulder belt positioner secured
to the upper portion of the booster seat, which helps to position
the shoulder portion of the belt. Backless belt-positioning
boosters may also have a device to adjust the shoulder portion of
the belt.

19. Safety Belts
 The vehicle’s lap/shoulder belts can be used when
the child is big enough to sit comfortably with his or
her back against the back of the vehicle’s seat and
the knees bent at the edge of the seat.
 This is usually when the child is about 4’9" tall which
is usually at 8-12 years old. It varies from child to
child due to differing torso lengths.
 One child per seat belt. Never use one seat belt to
restrain two children or two safety seats.

20. Securing the Child in the
Safety Seat
 Since only 4-year old preschool and
Kindergarten classes go on field trips at First
Friends, the children you will be transporting
will more than likely be in one of the three
forward-facing safety seats:
 Forward-facing convertible seat
 Combination seat
 Booster seat (high-back or backless)

21. Where is the safest place
for a child to ride?
 The center rear seating position is generally the safest.This is
contingent upon being able to get a secure fit with the child
safety seat in this position. If there is no center seating position
or a secure fit is not possible, the rear outboard position on the
passenger side is the next best option.
 Never secure any type of child safety seat in a seating position
with an automatic belt that is attached to the door of a vehicle.
NEVER install a rear-facing child safety seat in front of a seating
position that has an air bag.The force of an air bag can injure or
kill the child.There is no evidence that an air bag offers any extra
protection to any child in a child safety seat; air bags can be very
dangerous to children.
 The back seat is the safest place for all children 12 and under to
ride. Never secure a child safety seat in a side-facing or jump
seat.

22. Booster seat reminder…
 Remember! When using a backless booster
seat as a belt-positioning safety seat, make
sure there is a head restraint in the vehicle to
protect the child’s head.
 If there is no head restraint, the seat back
must be high enough to head/neck protection
or a high-back belt-positioning booster
should be used.

23. Aren’t all seatbelts the
same?
 After choosing where to secure a child safety
seat, it is important to determine what type
of safety belts are present.
 Some are child safety seat friendly and others
are not so friendly.

25. Safety Seat Installation
 It is important to note what belt path will be
used to secure the child safety seat.
 Infant-only seats usually have one belt path.
However, if a detachable base is present, the base
will also have a belt path.
 Convertible seats have one belt path for rear-
facing and another for forward-facing.
 Determine which path to use, and follow the
manufacturer’s directions for installation, often
posted on the seat itself.

26. Getting a Secure Fit
 Getting a secure fit for a child safety seat can pose a
challenge.
 Once the safety belt is holding the seat in place,
check for extra movement of the safety seat.
 Always check for movement by pulling at the place
where the child safety seat is anchored by the
vehicle belt.
 Make sure to get a tight fit, with less than 1" of side-
to-side or forward motion.

27. LATCH or Safety Belt?
 If the vehicle is LATCH-equipped and the safety
seat is LATCH equipped, use the LATCH system
if it gives a secure installation.
 If a secure installation is not possible using the
LATCH system, use the vehicle safety belt.
 Unless indicated by the instructions on the child
safety seat and the owner’s manual for the
vehicle, do not use both the LATCH system and
the safety belt system together—use one or the
other.
 The system that gives the most secure
installation should be used.

28. Which tether do I use?
 If available, always use the top tether for a
forward-facing seat.The top tether adds
more stability to the installation and helps to
limit forward motion of the seat.
 For correct installation and use of ALL child
safety seats, ALWAYS follow your vehicle
owner’s manual and child safety seat
manufacturer’s instructions.

29. Securing the Child in a
Safety Seat
 The harness straps play an
important role in securing children
correctly in child safety seats.The
harness straps require constant
attention and adjustment, and that
makes them prone to human error.
 The purpose of the harness straps is
to hold the child securely in place at
all times, but especially in the event
of a crash.

30. Placing a Child in a
Convertible Seat
 Convertible Seat – Forward-facing
 The seat must be adjusted for a forward-facing child.
 The recline adjuster should be moved to the upright
position.
 The harness straps need to be at or above the child’s
shoulders. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions on
which slots may be used for forward-facing. Generally,
it is the upper slots.
 Harness straps limit the motion in a crash.
 Harness straps should be snug to avoid head excursion
in a crash.
 The retainer clip or chest clip is placed across the chest
at armpit level.

31. Forward-Facing Only Seat
 Use harness slots at or above the child’s
shoulder.
 All harness slots are reinforced.
 The harness retainer clip, or chest clip, is
placed at armpit level to hold straps on the
shoulder.

32. Combination Seat with
Internal Harness (Booster
seat with Harness)
 A combination seat has a removable internal five-point harness
system that goes to 40 pounds or sometimes higher.
 The harness should always be snug, following the same
guidelines for infant and convertible seats.
 When a child reaches 40 pounds, the harness should be
removed, and the seat can be used as a belt-positioning booster
with a lap/shoulder belt to 80–100 pounds, depending on the
seat.
 The shoulder belt positioner can be used to position the shoulder
belt properly, if needed. As always, follow the manufacturer’s
instructions for height and weight guidelines.

33. Belt-positioning Boosters
 A belt-positioning booster must be used with the
vehicle’s lap/shoulder belt, never with a simple
lap belt.
 When using belt-positioning booster seats,
remember the following:
 Follow the manufacturer’s weight guidelines.
 Make sure there is a headrest for the child in a
backless booster or that the seat back is high enough
to provide head/neck protection.
 The child must be developmentally appropriate for the
seat.

34. Other Tips
 Always make sure everyone in the vehicle is
buckled up.
 Babies and children should never be left in a
vehicle unattended, no matter how brief the
time may be.
 Children 12 and under should ride properly
restrained in the back seat.
 A child should never be held in someone’s
arms or lap while in a moving vehicle.

35. Booster seat reminder…
 Remember! When using a backless booster
seat as a belt-positioning safety seat, make
sure there is a head restraint in the vehicle to
protect the child’s head.
 If there is no head restraint, the seat back
must be high enough for head/neck
protection or a high-back, belt-positioning
booster should be used.

36. How Many Times Can a Child
Seat Be Used to Save the
Life of a Child?
 Only one time.
 If a child safety seat is involved in a crash, it should
be replaced.
 If a crash is severe enough to cause injuries—even
bruises—the child safety seat may have cracks or
other structural damage that cannot be seen.The
integrity of the shell may be at risk.
 Also, the impact of a crash may “stretch” the
webbing of the straps and be unsafe for future use.

37. Safety in and Around
Vehicles – Jacob’s Law
 Children are also at great risk for injury or death in incidents
that do not involve motor vehicle crashes.
 In 2009 Jacob’s Law was established by theTexas State
Legislature requiring that all child care workers receive two
additional hours of training in transportation safety.
 This new law was named in memory of four year old Jacob
Fox who died in July 2006 after being accidentally left
behind in a day care van on a day where the temperature in
Dallas reached into the triple digits.
 After discovering Jacob’s body, employees of the day care
were instructed by the owner not to call 911, but instead to
hide the child in a nearby park.
 In 2007, the owner of the day care was convicted and
sentenced to prison and the day care shut down.

38. Children Left in Hot
Vehicles
 Temperatures in parked vehicles rise very quickly.
 In just 10 minutes the temperature can increase by almost
20 degrees, according to figures from San Francisco State
University’s department of geosciences.
 A child’s body temperature rises three to five times faster
than an adult making children more vulnerable to a deadly
condition known as hyperthermia or heat stroke.
 Heat stroke can occur at body temperatures above 104
degree.
 Even mild outside temperatures can pose a threat, but with
Texas temperatures climbing into the upper 90’s and higher
during the summer the danger becomes even greater.

39. Vehicle Heat-related Deaths
 InTexas in 2008 there were nine vehicle heat-related
deaths.
 For the years 1998-2008,Texas leads the nation with the
highest number of vehicle hyperthermia deaths – 52.
 Nationally, there were 42, according to the National
HighwayTraffic SafetyAdministration (NHSTA).
 In more than half of the cases during that time period, the
death was due to the child being ‘forgotten’ by the care
giver.
 Such deaths are preventable when parents and care
givers take precautions to make sure that children are not
left alone in vehicles and cannot gain access to unlocked
vehicles.

40. Safety Tips
 Never leave infants or children in a parked vehicle, even if the windows are
partially open.
 Make a habit of looking in the vehicle - front and back - before locking the
door and walking away.
 Carefully check all seats in the vehicle to make sure there are no children
sleeping on the seats or hiding under seats.
 Do not let children play in an unattended vehicle.Teach them that a vehicle
is not a play area.
 Check with the family when a child does not show up for day care to be sure
a parent has not forgotten a child in their vehicle.
 Always lock vehicle doors and trunks, and keep keys out of children’s reach.
 If a child is missing, check the vehicle first, including the trunk or storage
area.
 If a child is in distress due to heat, get them out as quickly as possible.Cool
the child rapidly. Call 911 or your local emergency number immediately.

41. Trunk Entrapment
 Trunk entrapment is also a risk.
 Make sure that children do not have access to
vehicle keys.
 According to National Safe Kids, one-third of
the heat-related deaths in 2000 were due to
children becoming trapped in a vehicle they
had crawled into.

42. Children Around Parked
Vehicles
 Children are at risk for both "backover" or
"frontover" accidents in driveways or parking
lots when they cannot be seen by the driver.
 Often in these tragic accidents the driver is a
family member or friend.
 Many of these preventable injuries and
deaths occur in driveways or parking lots
when drivers do not see children near their
vehicles.

43. Backovers
 According to KidsandCars.org, a non-profit
advocacy organization, at least 50 children are
backed over by vehicles every week.
 Of these 50, 48 receive treatment in emergency
rooms and two die.
 Statistics from 2007 reported by the NHTSA
show that backovers, where drivers back into
and injure or kill non-occupants, accounted for
45% of the non-traffic crash fatalities and 20% of
the injuries to children.

44. Blind Spots
 The blind spot in your vehicle is what makes a “backover”
possible.The blind spot is place behind your vehicle that
you cannot see in the rear or side view mirrors or even by
craning your neck out the driver’s side window.
 Usually, the larger the vehicle, the larger the blind spot.
 Shorter drivers tend to have blind spots that are
significantly larger than taller drivers.
 Blind spots can also vary by the height of the driver’s
seat, the shape of a vehicle’s windows and mirrors.
 The slope of a driveway can also affect the size of the
blind spot behind a vehicle.
 Also, the smaller the child, the more difficult it is for a
driver to see he/she when backing up.

45. Click the button
below to watch a
video on blind
spots.

46. A 5-Second Walk
 These accidents are preventable when parents,
caregivers, and drivers take steps to be sure the area
around their vehicle is clear before moving the
vehicle.
 Just a five-second walk around the car can save a
life.
 Walk all the way around your parked vehicle to check
for children, pets or toys before getting in the car
and starting the engine.

47. Safety Tips by National Safe
Kids
 Walk all the way around your parked vehicle to check for
children, pets or toys before getting in the car and starting
the engine.
 Make sure young children are always accompanied by an
adult when getting in and out of a vehicle.
 Identify and use safe play areas for children away from
parked or moving vehicles.
 Designate a safe spot for children to go when nearby
vehicles are about to move.
 Firmly hold the hand of each child when walking near
moving vehicles and when in driveways, in parking lots or
on sidewalks.
 Teach children not to play in and around vehicles.

48. Children Left in Running Vehicles
 Children left alone in a vehicle with the
engine running can accidently or deliberately
set the vehicle in motion. Sometimes, the
vehicle may end up running over someone.
 Often children become scared and may even
jump from the moving vehicle and get injured
or run over.

49. Children Left in Running
Vehicles
 An unbelted child in a moving vehicle is also at great
risk of injury. When the ignition is turned on, power
windows can be activated and pose a great danger
for children.
 The results of leaving a child alone in a vehicle with
the engine running can be disastrous and lead to
serious injury or death.

50. Your Car is an Oven
 As the sun bears down on cars and trucks, the windows
act like a green house, allowing sunlight in, while
trapping and radiating heat inside the vehicle. Even on
mild days, where outside temperatures are in the 60’s
and 70’s, the interior can reach temperatures of around
110 degrees.
 It only takes a short period of time before the intense
heat begins to impact the body’s ability to regulate a safe
core temperature.
 Even when windows are rolled down, the interior of a car
can rise 20 degrees higher than the outdoor temps in as
little as 10 minutes.

51. It takes one hour for a child to suffer heatstroke inside a car.

52. Safety Tips
 Lock vehicles at all times, even in the garage or driveway.
 Never leave keys in the car.
 Store keys out of children’s reach.
 Engage your emergency brake every time you park.
 Many vehicles today have a BrakeTransmission Safety
Interlock (BTSI) which is a safety technology intended to
prevent children from accidentally putting a vehicle into
gear. Check your owner’s manual to see if your vehicle is
equipped with BTSI. All vehicles with an automatic
transmission with a PARK position manufactured after
September 1, 2010 must have BTSI.
 Lock the power windows so that children cannot get caught
in them. Power windows can strangle a child or cut off a
finger.

53. What requirements should I have to
drive children other than my own on a
field trip?
 You must have a validTexas Driver’s License.
 You must be 18 years of age.

54. Teacher/Child Ratios on
Field Trips
 When children are on a field trip and are mixing with children and
adults who are not from First Friends, including but not limited to
trips to the Discovery Center, park, you must meet the following
child/caregiver ratio:
 4 years old = 1:8
 5 years old =1:10
 6 years old = 1:12
 When children are on a walk or a field trip in an enclosed, controlled
area, including but not limited to trips to the fire station or library,
you must maintain at least the classroom child/caregiver ration:
 4 years old = 1:15
 5 years old = 1:22
 6 years old = 1:26


55. Prepare Children before Trip
 Discuss pedestrian safety in a planned activity
at the child care center.
 Teach the importance of always following
pedestrian safety rules including crossing
with an adult, looking both ways before
crossing.
 Remind children never to stand where they
cannot be seen by the driver.

56. Keeping Track of Kids
 According to theTexas Department of Family
and Protective Services (DFPS) Minimum
Standards for Child Care Centers, caregivers
must have a written list of all children on the
field trip and must check the list frequently to
account for the presence of all children.

57. Keeping Count
 While at public places, counting children is necessary at least
every 10 minutes or anytime there is a transition during a
program or activity.
 It is important to conduct a head count during transition periods,
which includes every time the group leaves or enters a room, a
vehicle, or a building. It is also a good idea to conduct a count
when transitioning from group to group within a room.
 It is especially important to follow minimum standards and have
a written list of all the children on the field trip and check the list
frequently to account for the presence of all children.
 Do another count when the children are back in the vehicle and
make sure each child is properly buckled in for the return trip.
 Finally, make sure to count the children after they leave the
vehicle and also do a final check inside the vehicle to make sure
no child is left behind inside the vehicle.

58. The Buddy System
 Assign children to a buddy or two to help
children to be responsible for others in their
group and help make sure they stay with the
group at all times.
 By adhering to First Friends policies on
keeping track of children while in transport,
tragedies can be avoided.
 All staff involved in the transport of children
should be aware of the center’s policies when
traveling.

59. What safety precautions must I take
when loading and unloading children
from the vehicle?
 Children are never allowed to enter or exit the
vehicle by themselves.
 You must load and unload children at the curbside of
the vehicle or in a protected parking area or
driveway.
 You must not allow a child to cross a street unless
the child is accompanied by an adult any time before
entering or after leaving a vehicle.
 When possible, cross only at designated crosswalks.
Teach children to look left, right, and then left again
to look for oncoming traffic.

60. What safety precautions must I take
when loading and unloading children
from the vehicle?
 You must account for all children exiting the vehicle
before leaving the vehicle unattended.
 You must never leave a child unattended in a vehicle.
 After unloading, walk through the vehicle to make
sure no children are missed.

61. Loading
 The vehicle should not be running.Turn off the engine, remove the
keys from the ignition and keep in the driver’s possession. Set the
emergency brake.
 The driver must exit the vehicle and stand beside the door,
personally loading the children onto the vehicle and securing
children into a child safety seat.
 Visually and physically check seat belts to see that each child is
secure and that there is only one child using each belt.
 Always hold the door so the wind will not catch it.
 As children board the vehicle, identify each child with a name and
face check.
 Lock and close the door. Never allow a child to do this.
 Once children have boarded, take roll visually, making eye contact
with each child as you check off the children’s names on the vehicle
roll sheet.

62. Loading
 Driver is to circle the vehicle to ensure it is free from obstacles-
especially children.
 Enter the vehicle, fasten your seat belt, adjust mirrors, and recheck
that the area is free of obstacles using the mirrors.
 Always try to park in a manner that will allow you to pull forward and
avoid situations in which you must reverse.
 Always observe all traffic regulations -use blinkers, always make
complete stops, never run yellow lights, and drive 5 miles under the
posted speed limit.

63. Unloading
 Pull to the curb and unload at the curbside or in a protected parking
are or driveway.
 The vehicle should not be running.Turn off the engine, remove keys
from the ignition and keep them in your possession, and set the
emergency brake.
 Driver opens the exit door. Children should never be allowed to do
this.
 Driver exits the vehicle and stands outside the exit door, holding the
door to keep the wind from catching it.
 The driver assists children as they exit the vehicle.
 Have the children form a line on the curb or sidewalk close to the
vehicle.

64. Unloading
 Once the children are unloaded, take roll visually, making eye
contact with each child as you check off children’s names on the field
trip list.
 Escort children back to class and remain until a staff member checks
them in. Have students wash their hands upon returning to the
classroom.

65. Never rely on verbal
responses from the children.
Always do visual checks
before marking a child
present.

66. Car-Pooling
 All vehicles will travel together along the
designated route to and from field trips.
 Vehicles will line up and leave together.
 There should be a First Friends teacher in the
first vehicle.

67. Vehicle Emergency Procedures
 If a vehicle is inoperable or unsafe to drive, programs are advised to
follow the emergency procedures stated below:
 If you are on the road, get to the safest position you can, as far away from traffic
as possible. Park the vehicle with the emergency brake on and turn on your
emergency flashers.
 If you have a cell phone or portable two-way radio, notify your program
administration immediately with the nature of the problem and your
whereabouts.
 Check to make sure all your children are safe and calm. Apply proper first aid if
needed.
 Never leave children unattended.

68. Vehicle Emergency Procedures
 If someone offers assistance, give him or her your
program director’s business card and inform him or
her that help is on its way. Do not allow strangers to
assist in vehicle maintenance or first aid for the
children. Do not hesitate to call 911 if you feel
threatened or unsafe.
 If this is a critical emergency, have your emergency
binder ready and available for paramedics.
 Do not allow vehicle maintenance while the children
are still loaded on the vehicle. Have the children wait
in a safe location.

69. Vehicle Accidents
 Your first priority is to provide care and support to the children and
employees involved in the accident.Accidents involving program
vehicles should be handled according to the following guidelines:
 If there are injuries as a result of the accident, 911 is to be called immediately.
 Emergency medical forms are to be given to emergency medical personnel upon
arrival at the accident site.
 Name, address, phone number, and insurance information for all parties involved
at the accident must be obtained at the scene.
 Names, addresses, and phone numbers of all witnesses to the accident must be
obtained.

70. Vehicle Accidents
 Staff members involved in the accident must not
admit responsibility or agree to payment terms of
any kind. Child Care licensing must be contacted if
children in your care are injured.
 If there are children in the vehicle at the time of the
accident, the first aid kit is available to render first
aid as needed. Program Administration at the
program must be contacted immediately. Program
Management must contact the parents/guardian of
each child immediately.

71. Safe Driving Practices
 Check mirrors every 30 seconds.
 When at an intersection with no signs or signals, the driver should
always stop, look both ways, and proceed with caution.
 When at a stop light and the light turns green, the driver should
allow the full length of the vehicle to gain between you and the
vehicle in front of you before you move.
 In the event that brakes fail, pump your breaks to build pressure.The
driver should read the operating guide to all vehicles to become
aware of additional or optional emergency procedures specific to
that brand of vehicle.
 Drivers should always avoid backing up.This prevents the risk of
accident or injury.

72. Safe Driving Practices
 Stick to the route or directions that the program assigned for the
trip. Do not make exceptions. In the event of a detour, notify the
program immediately.
 Always allow 4 seconds of driving space between your vehicle and
the vehicle in front of you.
 In the event that the accelerator gets stuck, the driver should not
reach down with his or her hands to try to release the accelerator.
 When operating a vehicle, it is not advised to wear sandals or flip-
flops.These types of shoes can cause the driver to get the sandals
caught in the accelerator.
 In the event of hydroplaning, the driver should take his or her foot
off the gas pedal and continue driving

73. Safe Driving Practices
 Cell phones should not be used while operating a vehicle.
 In the event of an incident and a phone call is needed, the driver
should pull the vehicle off the road and into a safe lot to make or
take the phone call.This includes bluetooth and earpieces.

74. First Friends Field Trip
Policies & Procedures
 Transportation training must be completed before
the first field trip or before transporting any students
 Field trips must be approved by the Director prior to
scheduling and should enhance learning
 You must post the field trip sign-up and information
sheet by your door for parents to easily see. It must
be posted a minimum of 48 hours prior to the trip
 Parents of students will be assisting in providing
transportation to students in your class and should
have a copy of the FieldTrip Reminder rules prior to
transporting children

75. Field Trip Policies and
Procedures
 Only 4-Year Old Pre-K and Kindergarten classes
take students on field trips
 Children must wear their First FriendsT-shirts on
field trip days
 Child safety seats should be labeled with the
child’s name
 In case of emergency, follow First Aid & CPR
procedures if needed; once the scene is secure,
notify the First Friends director
 Communication between teacher and driver
concerning the agenda should occur before,
during, and after transporting children

76. What must I take with me on a
Field Trip?
 A written list of all students list on the field trip. You must
check the list frequently to account for the presence of all
children
 Route to follow, both going and returning
 Signed Parent Permission Slips
 Emergency Medical Authorization Form
 Food Allergy Emergency Plan and medications
 First Friends info: name, director, phone number clearly visible
in the passenger compartment
 The proper child safety seat for each child
 First Aid Kit
 Driver must have a current driver’s license

77. No Inappropriate Media
 When transporting First Friends students,
refrain from listening to inappropriate music
or viewing inappropriate movies while on
field trips
Never Talk on Cell Phones or
Text while the vehicle is in
motion

78. Drive Safely!!!
Please complete theTransportation Assessment.
Return your completed assessment to the First
Friends director. Be sure to put your name on it.
A certificate will be issued to you and kept on file
in the First Friends office.
If you would like a copy, please note your request
on your assessment form.
Thank you for volunteering to drive.We could not
offer our field trip experiences without your
willingness to help.
Sources:
Tym the Trainer
Texas A&M Agrilife Extension
https://www.oaoa.com/people/health/levi_stone/article_185314fc-344c-11e8-802f-176f608d48d4.html