SLOW DOWN: BACK TO SCHOOL MEANS SHARING THE ROAD!

School days bring congestion: School buses are picking up their passengers, kids on bikes are hurrying to get to school before the bell rings, and anxious parents are trying to drop their kids off before work. It’s never more important for drivers to slow down and pay attention than when kids are present – especially before and after school.

If You’re Dropping Off

Schools often have very specific drop-off procedures for the school year. Make sure you know them for the safety of all kids.

The following applies to all school zones:

● Don’t double park; it blocks visibility for other children and vehicles

● Don’t load or unload children across the street from the school

● Carpool to reduce the number of vehicles at the school

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.

A few precautions go a long way toward keeping children safe:

● Don’t block the crosswalk when stopped at a red light or waiting to make a turn, forcing pedestrians to go around you; this could put them in the path of moving traffic

● In a school zone when flashers are blinking, stop and yield to pedestrians crossing the crosswalk or intersection

● Always stop for a school patrol officer or crossing guard holding up a stop sign

● Take extra care to look for children in school zones, near playgrounds and parks, and in all residential areas

● Don’t honk or rev your engine to scare a pedestrian, even if you have the right of way

● Never pass a vehicle stopped for pedestrians

● Always use extreme caution to avoid striking pedestrians wherever they may be, no matter who has the right of way

Sharing 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.