EDITORIAL: Be on the lookout for buses, children as schools start back up
Aug. 4—With many area schools starting this month, now is the perfect time to remind ourselves of the need to be extra vigilant when driving. Be on the lookout for those students who might not always make the safest decisions and may dart into traffic or cause other traffic-related problems.
On Friday, students in Whitfield County Schools are the first locally to return to school followed by Dalton Public Schools pupils on Tuesday. Schools in the Murray County Schools system don't start back until the day after Labor Day — Sept. 7 — because of extended school days throughout the year.
Being a safe and defensive driver is always desirable, but this time of year such reminders are especially important as school buses get back on the road and teen drivers get behind the wheel to drive to school.
With many schools returning to completely in-person classes this fall, there will be more traffic than usual on the roads in the mornings and afternoons.
Most children who die in bus-related incidents are 4 to 7 years old, according to research by the National Safety Council.
They are usually walking and are hit by the bus, or by a motorist illegally passing a stopped bus.
Here are tips from the National Safety Council to help everyone stay safe during their commutes to and from school:
—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 out 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.
—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 from behind — or from either direction if you're on an undivided road — if it is stopped to load or unload children
—If the yellow or red lights are flashing and the stop arm is extended, traffic must stop
—The area 10 feet around a school bus is the most dangerous for children; stop far enough back to allow them space to safely enter and exit the bus
—Be alert; children often are unpredictable, and they tend to ignore hazards and take risks
All good points. We encourage you to take these instructions to heart and to be aware of the dangers that come with the start of a new school year.
All our students are precious and we must take every precaution to ensure they are safe, including when they are in a school setting or getting on and off the bus.
