Winter School Mornings: A Safe Path From the Door to the Bus Stop

4 min read · Thames Valley Snow, London, Ontario

Why school mornings are tricky in winter

In December and January it is still dark or barely light when many children leave for school. Snow that fell overnight may not have been cleared yet, and the City plows may be working on the street at the same time.

The aim is simple: one clear, lit, non-slippery route from the door to the place where they wait for the bus or start their walk, and a habit of using it.

Start at the front door

• Clear the steps and landing first. Steps freeze before driveways do, as our guide why steps and walkways get icy before driveways explains.
• Make sure the railing is clear and solid, since small children use it more than adults do.
• Keep a scoop of de-icer or sand by the door for mornings when there is a thin glaze of ice. If you have a dog, or worry about little hands and boots, choose a pet-safe product.
• Turn on the porch light, or put it on a timer, for the dark mornings.

The walkway and the end of the driveway

If children walk down the driveway to the street, the end of the driveway is where the biggest hazard sits. When the City plows the road it leaves a windrow, a ridge of heavy, packed snow, across the end of the driveway. Our guide what is a City windrow? explains how it forms.

Teach children not to climb over snowbanks or windrows at the road, because a driver may not see them, and the snow can give way. If the windrow has not been cleared yet, walk them out and choose the safest gap.

Waiting for the bus

Where children wait matters. A spot on top of a snowbank or right at the edge of the road is risky when plows and cars are passing on slippery streets. A safer spot is back from the road on a cleared area of the driveway or sidewalk, where the bus driver can still see them. If the sidewalk in front of your home is part of the route, see London's sidewalk snow clearing rules and our guide are homeowners responsible for clearing City sidewalks?

Bus cancellations and snow days

School buses in the London area are sometimes cancelled for snow, freezing rain or fog. Check your school board's student transportation website or local radio before you head out, and have a plan for who will drive or walk the children if the buses do not run. Freezing rain mornings are the ones to watch most closely: the steps and driveway can be dangerous even when there is no snow to shovel. Our guide how freezing rain changes your snow removal plan explains what changes.

Getting the car out too

Many families drive children to school or daycare on the way to work, so the driveway has to be ready early as well. Moving cars into the right spot the night before a storm helps; see where to park during a snowstorm. If you leave very early on most days, our guide who needs priority early-morning snow clearing explains what that option is and whether it suits you.

Make it a routine

• The night before: check the forecast, move the cars, put boots and a de-icer scoop by the door.
• In the morning: check the bus status, look at the steps and the end of the driveway before the children go out.
• On the way: one route, stay off snowbanks, wait back from the road.

For more on keeping children safe around snow clearing, see how to keep kids and pets safe during plow visits.

How a seasonal plan helps

Busy school mornings are easier when the driveway, walkway and steps are handled for you. A seasonal snow removal plan clears your driveway automatically from December 1 to March 31 whenever 5 cm or more falls. In long storms we come back for return visits, the City windrow at the end of the driveway is cleared, and you get a timestamped photo after every visit.

Prices (all plus HST):

• Single or 1.5-car driveway: $650 to $725 for the season
• Double driveway: $815
• 3-car, paver or stamped driveway: $1,050
• Walkway and steps: from $150, or $175 for a walk plus up to 6 steps; sidewalk $90
• Seasonal salt, including freezing rain and refreeze visits: $175
• Pet-safe de-icer: $120
• Priority early-morning clearing: $125
• Season extension from November 1 to April 15: add $95

Prefer to pay only when you need it? Per-visit snow removal is $70 to $85 a visit. Seasonal plans take a 30% deposit with the balance before December 1, and seniors and front-line workers save 5% on seasonal plans. We carry $2,000,000 in liability insurance, are registered with WSIB and are LPMA members.

Get a quote

Every quote is measured from City of London maps, and residential quotes come back within 1 business day. Ask for a free quote or call or text (548) 639-2069.