13 Back to School Road Safety Considerations for Drivers
It is once again time for the kids to go back to school, and you know what that means – It’s time to pay more attention to school zone safety. Why it may seem obvious that drivers need to be careful when driving close to schools, many drivers are failing to get the message. Drivers are regularly violating laws and safety rules in school zones, which is creating dangerous situations for children, pedestrians, and other drivers.
Why school zone safety so important?
- There are more pedestrians is the area – especially in the hours before and after school
- There is increased traffic in school zones – parents dropping off and picking up their children, school buses, adding to traffic volume
- Children can be unpredictable – young children don’t understand how quickly cars travel and have trouble judging distances
- There is increased risk associated with driving in these areas – More traffic and more pedestrians increase the chance of accidents happening.
What can drivers do to make school zones safer?
Perhaps the most important thing that drivers can do to promote school zone safety is to not contribute to the problem. Here are some tips to improve the safety in school zones:
- Consider starting a carpool to reduce traffic in the area
- Give yourself enough time to drop off the kids without rushing
- Avoid school zones during busy hours
- Follow the rules for proper pick up and drop offs
- Avoid driving while distracted at all times
- Don’t stop in “No stopping Zones”
- Always yield the right of way to pedestrians at intersections and crosswalks
- Avoid making U turns and other risky maneuvers in busy school zones
- Always come to a complete stop at stop signs
- Be on the lookout for kids that are distracted
- Watch out for cyclists and kids on rollerblades
- Avoid rushing through traffic lights, especially when the light turns yellow
- Be overly cautious – kids can come from anywhere and you need to be prepared to stop at all times
Taking these actions will not only help to reduce the number of accident involving children this school year, it will also help to save lives. Do your part and be a safe and responsible driver in school zones this school year.
Do you make a conscious effort to be more alert and aware in school zones when the kids go back to school? What tips can you offer to other drivers to help make the roads safer?