Trending
Area motorists, be alert.
School children are heading back to Tri-State Area classrooms, and drivers need to heighten their awareness in the coming days.
Drivers need to be extra vigilant in the early mornings and mid-afternoons when children are walking to and from schools or bus stops. And remember, it's the start of a school year, so children will be excited to see friends they haven't seen in a few months. They may be scurrying to greet classmates and could easily dart out into traffic.
With that in mind, there are some basic safety measures all drivers should follow. Motorists approaching a stopped school bus from either direction should remember they are required to stop at least 10 feet back from buses displaying red flashing lights and an extended stop arm, according to the law enforcement agencies. Drivers, perhaps most important, need to exercise patience when behind a stopped school bus and remember to slow down in school zones and residential areas where children may be walking to and from school. Also, motorists should watch carefully when backing out of a driveway or garage.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, fewer than 1 percent of all traffic fatalities involve children on school transportation vehicles. Children are at greater risk when approaching or leaving a school bus, NHTSA reports. In fact, of the 111 occupants killed in school transportation vehicles between 2013 and 2022, 50 were drivers and 61 were passengers.
Be aware of the times school starts and ends. It is sometimes best to avoid a school zone during those times -- they become very congested during the morning and afternoon hours, and rather than add to that, sometimes a detour around a school zone might be safer.
Also, drivers need to make sure their windows and windshields are clear of dew or ice and snow as the school year progresses. Limited visibility can lead to delayed response time if a child runs out into the street.
Despite the annual reminders and increased attention from law enforcement, there are those motorists who still choose to put themselves and children in danger. According to NHTSA, the National Association of State Directors of Pupil Transportation Services 2023 Stop-Arm survey showed that 94,581 school bus drivers reported that 62,482 vehicles passed their buses illegally on a single day during the 2022-23 school year. Throughout a 180-day school year, these sample results point to more than 43.5 million violations per year among America's motoring public.
Parents, too, have a responsibility when it comes to getting their child safely to and from school. They need to teach children how to safely cross the street and only to cross in a crosswalk, and children should only walk on the sidewalk.
If your child does walk to school or the bus stop, please take the time to make a few practice trips and point out dangerous spots. Make sure the child takes the same route every day.
Please drive safely and slow down. Children are heading back to school, and their safety depends on each of us.