UAB expert shares school safety tips for the new year

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - Before you pack their backpacks and lunch boxes, UAB safety experts have some advice when it comes to sending your children back to school.

According to experts, the first thing to remember is that it’s not a good idea to overshare on social media about your child and their school.

Marvin Hart, a crime prevention manager at UAB also warns parents about the dangers of putting too much information on their child’s backpack.

“We recommend just putting initial rather than putting the full name or if you are going to include the name don’t associate the name with the school,” Hart said.

And this is the same for vehicle stickers, yard signs and back to school social media posts.

“But now if you post something like that or even put a sign in your yard that information can go to people that you don’t even know,” Hart said.

Experts also recommend parents to make sure that posts, stickers or yard signs don’t include their child’s school or their teacher.

“Just make it more difficult for anyone to track or stalk your child based on that information,” Hart said.

Now when it comes to bus stops, Hart recommends walking the route your child will take to and from the bus stop.

“Then look at how secure that area is, is it a safe area to wait,” Hart said. “And those type of things you can see much better from actually walking it then observing it from a vehicle.”

And finally, Hart recommends discussing pedestrian safety with your child.

Like looking both ways before crossing the street and watching for vehicles that are backing up.

Hart wants to remind parents that it’s important to consider these tips as you prepare for the new school year because once the information is out there, you do not have any control over where it goes or who sees it.

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