It’s that time of year again – back to school! School days bring vehicle congestion, big yellow buses picking up school kids, parents dropping children off to school before work; it can get a little crowded!
Now, more than ever, it is incredibly important for drivers to slow down and pay attention!
If you’re dropping a child off for school, be sure to follow the schools’ drop off procedures. Remember these crucial tips when you’re in a school zone:
- Don’t double park as it will block visibility
- Don’t load or unload children across the street from school
- Carpool to reduce the number of vehicles at school.
Are you sharing the road with young pedestrians? According to research by the National Safety Council, most of the children who lose their lives in bus-related incidents are 4 to 7 years old, and they’re walking. They are hit by the bus, or by a motorist illegally passing a stopped bus. How can you keep children safe when you’re driving?
- Don’t block the crosswalk when stopped at a red light or waiting to turn
- Always stop and yield to pedestrians in the crosswalk when flashers are blinking in a school zone
- Don’t honk or rev your engine to scare a pedestrian
- Never EVER pass a vehicle stopped for pedestrians
- Always use extreme caution and take extra care to look out for children in school zones.
Share the road with school buses. If you’re driving behind a bus, allow a greater following distance than if you were driving behind a car. It will give you more time to stop once the yellow lights start flashing. It is illegal in all 50 states to pass a school bus that is stopped to load or unload children.
- Never pass a bus if it is stopped to load or unload children
- Be alert, children can be unpredictable and may ignore hazards
You can help keep children and other pedestrians safe in school zones. Remember these tips and you’ll set a great example for future drivers in your vehicle.