10 Driving Safety Tips for Back-To-School Time
It’s Back-to-School time again!
As drivers, it’s never more important to slow down and pay attention than when children are present-especially before and after school.
Please be aware that you are sharing the road with motorists and pedestrians. Among the pedestrians are young children. According to the National Safety Council (NSC) most children who lose their lives in bus-related incidents are 4-7 years old and are hit by motorists while walking to and from the bus stop.
A few precautions we can take that go a long way toward keeping our children safe:
1) Never block the crosswalk when stopped at a red light or waiting your turn in line. This forces a pedestrian to go around you and put them in harm’s way of moving traffic.
2) Slow down in school zones! If the flashers are blinking, stop and yield to pedestrians crossing the crosswalk.
3) Always stop for school patrol officers or crossing guards.
4) Do not honk or rev your engine to startle or scare pedestrians.
5) Never pass a vehicle stopped for pedestrians.
6) Never pass a bus from behind – or from either direction if you’re on an undivided road – if it is stopped to load or unload children.
7) Take extra care to look out for children in school zones, parks, playgrounds, and your own neighborhoods. BE ALERT! Children are unpredictable and tend to ignore hazards and take risks.
8) If the yellow or red lights are flashing on the bus and the STOP arm is extended, traffic MUST stop.
9) LEAVE EARLIER! Avoid rushing to your destination and adjust your departure time knowing that traffic will be heavier at certain times during the day. When we rush, we aren’t as focused on the task of driving so we don’t pay close enough attention to pedestrians or school zones.
10) Avoid unnecessary distractions while driving. Maintain focus on the roads at all times.
When we exercise a little extra care and caution, drivers and pedestrians can co-exist safely in school zones. Back-to-School time is the perfect time to change these driving behaviors.
For more information AFPG’s Safety & Risk Management First Culture please visit https://www.afpgusa.com/safety.php.
