(NAPSI)—More than 26 million children ride the school bus every day. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, school buses are the safest form of transportation for getting children to and from school, with most serious school bus incidents taking place when children are outside of the bus.

According to the same study, 75 percent of these incidents involve children under the age of 9. To help reduce these incidents, IC Bus, a subsidiary of Navistar, has developed the Safety PASS, four simple safety tips for parents to discuss with their children before they get on the school bus.

To “earn” a safety PASS, passengers should:

Pause—Wait to use headphones, cell phones and MP3 players until you’re a safe distance from the bus.

be Aware—Consider your surroundings and remain alert so you are not distracted when a bus is approaching or departing.

Signal—Watch for the driver’s signal before crossing and always cross 12 feet in front of the bus.

Sit—Remain seated while you are on the bus and keep your voice down so the bus driver can concentrate on the road.

For the past 10 years, IC Bus has been the No. 1 bus manufacturer, designing and manufacturing vehicles with student safety as the primary goal.

School buses are designed to be safer than other passenger vehicles in avoiding crashes and preventing injury. In fact, students in the U.S. are nearly eight times safer riding in a school bus than in a car with a parent or guardian.

Yellow school buses offer a unique combination of safety features, including:

• Strong construction techniques such as reinforced sides, roofs and rear ends;

• Passenger safety devices, including cross-view mirrors and walk gates that enhance the visibility of the students outside the bus;

• Traffic control devices such as the flashing warning lights and stop arms.

For more information, visit www.ICBus.com or www.facebook.com/icbus.

On the Net:North American Precis Syndicate, Inc.(NAPSI)