School Safety: MADA Issues Guidelines for the New Academic Year

Ahead of the start of the school year next week, MADA published today (Tuesday) detailed safety guidelines for parents, children, and drivers, emphasizing that children up to the age of nine need adult supervision on the way to and from school and should not cross the road alone.

The organization calls on parents to practice the safe route to the educational institution with their children, to ensure they cross only at crosswalks, and to drop off children in designated areas. At the same time, drivers traveling near schools, kindergartens, community centers, and bus stops are asked to be extra vigilant, to slow down near crosswalks, and to stop when it appears that minors intend to cross the road.

MADA also reminds of the serious danger of forgetting children in a vehicle and recommends that parents place an essential item, such as a bag or a mobile phone, next to the safety seat, which will force them to reach the back seat before leaving the vehicle. School bus drivers are asked to conduct a scan of the vehicle at the end of the trip and ensure that no person is left inside.

The guidelines also include emphasis on drinking sufficient amounts of fluids during the school day and ensuring safe stay in the sun, while parents of allergic children are asked to ensure that their children carry an EpiPen injector with them according to the doctor's instructions. In addition, MADA calls for strict adherence to safe bicycle riding and wearing a helmet, and reminds that riding electric bicycles or e-scooters is permitted only from the age of 16 for those who hold a driver's license or have successfully passed a theory test, in accordance with the Ministry of Transport's guidelines.

The organization recommends installing the "My MADA" app on children's phones, which allows calling for help with one click and sends the child's exact location to the dispatch center. In the case of a child found in a locked vehicle, one must immediately call MADA at 101 or via the app and follow the instructions of the EMTs and paramedics.

The dedicated MADA dispatch center for educational institutions is prepared for the start of the year, and within its framework, EMTs and paramedics who have undergone special training for providing medical response during school hours operate in thousands of schools and kindergartens across the country.

MADA Director-General Eli Bin stated:

"The summer vacation has ended, but we must continue to strictly follow the guidelines. The safety of our children is above all, and we must act in every way to ensure that our children return home safely from their educational frameworks. I call on parents, teaching staff, and students to refresh the road safety guidelines and the Home Front Command's defense instructions in order to prevent tragedies. Magen David Adom wishes the students of Israel a successful, productive, and safe school year."