Children across the city head back to school Wednesday, and the Red Cross is offering safety tips for walking to school.

Michael Devulpillieres of the Red Cross tells News 12 the safest option for children walking to school is to be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

If there is no adult available, Devulpillieres says to make sure children know some important crosswalk safety tips.

He says children should never dive between cars or dart into traffic and they should only cross at an intersection, preferably where there is a school crossing guard.

The key to a successful first day, says Devulpillieres, isn't just about backpacks and books.

“This is a time where kids will be on their own. They're going to be in a new environment, so it's really important to teach them, to train them to be aware of the surroundings, to be aware of safety risks,” says Devulpillieres.

He says these risks inlcude speeding drivers, stranger danger and other emergencies where kids might need a trusted adult to step in.

“We want to make sure kids know their phone number, their address, how to dial 911, how to get in touch with their parents at work,” says Devulpillieres.

Devulpillieres also gave some pointers for those who ride the school bus.

“We want to make sure that they're not getting on the bus unless they've been directed to do so by the bus driver and that they’re never running behind the bus when exiting,” he says.