Each year at back-to-school time, parents must reconcile the need for their kids to be educated with the hard truth that we cannot always control their environment nor the people children meet when they are away from home. With gun violence statistics reaching historic highs, the call to talk with youngsters about active shooter safety and other school-day risks has never been more urgent. Despite the fact that shooting violence in schools accounts for less than 1% of child fatalities, Save the Children® reports, 2022 has been a dangerous year for gun violence. By July, there had already been more than 300 mass shootings in the U.S., according to The Washington Post. Among them looms one especially tragic rampage: The May 24, 2022 shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, an incident that took the lives of 19 children and two teachers. It follows that seven out of 10 parents now worry that their kids will face a school shooting, and a notable portion of them are "very concerned about the prospect," says Save the Children®. Some parents may also be concerned that today's kids must endure active shooter and lockdown drills at school. But this modern phenomenon makes it that much more essential to process such experiences with kids and help them understand everything they can do to stay safe in the world.

Pint-sized street smarts

School shootings aren't the only risks that children will weather during the 2022-2023 school year. There are steps kids can take to mitigate more common safety threats such as biking accidents, auto accidents or "stranger danger." The slideshow above highlights several safety tips for keeping youngsters safe during the 2022-2023 school year.  To help prepare students and their parents and guardians for school, the National Safety Council (NSC) shares key tips that will help kids safe while traveling to and from school throughout the year. In addition to transportation safety, the NSC also offers tips to ensure students' safety at school. What follows are ways parents and guardians can help prevent school-related injuries:

  • Inform children to use both straps of their backpack to distribute weight evenly.
  • Avoid overstuffing backpacks. Backpacks should weigh no more than 5-10% of the student's own weight.
  • Rolling backpacks can be hazardous and can cause trips and falls in crowded hallways. These should be used cautiously.
  • Children should leave hanging jewelry such as necklaces and jackets with drawstrings at home to avoid strangulation risks at playgrounds.
  • Minor bumps and bruises are expected in children who play sports or outside, but head injuries should never be ignored, and consulting a medical professional is advised.
Heather Turner contributed to this report. Related: 
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