Calgary Police Service

Back to school safety tips

The school year should be safe and educational for everyone

kids and parents should be aware of the following safety tips before the start of the semester.

Safety tips for your child

Make sure your child knows:

  • Their full name, age, address, area code, home phone number and parents' work/cellphone number.
  • How to use a pay phone to make both local and long distance phone calls.
  • How to contact police, fire and EMS in an emergency (9-1-1) and in a non-emergency (403-266-1234).
  • To use the same route to and from school.
  • Where the safe places are to play (front and backyards, playgrounds).
  • What places to avoid (vacant lots, dark, wooded, bushy areas).

If your child is being followed by a person or car, make sure they know to do the following:

  • turn and run in the opposite direction;
  • get a description and licence number of the stranger's vehicle if possible;
  • run to the closest safe place; and,
  • stay in open areas that are visible.
  • Remember to tell them that uniformed police officers are friends who can be trusted.

The stranger rules

Familiarize your child with "the stranger rules" - these rules will help keep them safe.

  • Never talk to strangers.
  • Never take anything from strangers.
  • Never go anywhere with a stranger.
  • Do not be fooled by tricks or phoney conversation.
  • If a stranger tries to grab you, yell, scream and kick.
  • Never tell a stranger you are by yourself or that your parents or guardian are not home.

Resources for parents, schools and community groups

The Calgary Police Service uses a third-party translation service for all languages other than English. If there are any discrepancies or errors found in translated documents, please refer to the English version for clarity.

Watch youth-focused safe driving videos

Connections - Back to School Traffic Safety

#DriveSafeYYC - Impaired Driving

#DriveSafeYYC - Distracted Driving

#DriveSafeYYC - Speeding

CALL YOUR LOCAL POLICE

In an emergency always call 911

Non-emergency 403-266-1234