“Whether it’s preschool, grade school, high school or college, a new school year means increased pedestrian and vehicular traffic in neighborhoods and around schools throughout the county,” Gerace said via a media release from the Sheriff’s Office. “The changing season also brings in increasingly shorter days, less daylight and reduced visibility.”

Gerace reminds commuters, parents, students, pedestrians and bicyclists alike to:

• Stop for any school bus that has its lights and “stop arm” activated to load and unload children. Drivers must stop in both directions, unless separated from the bus by a median.
• Be alert when around school zones or buses
• Build extra time into your schedule to accommodate the increased congestion and delay surrounding school start and end times.
• Familiarize yourself, and your children, with laws and safety tips related to school buses, school zones, crosswalks and signals.
• Become familiar with specific rules that pertain to young drivers if you are, or have, a teenage driver in your household.
• Pay attention to your surroundings, on streets or sidewalks; do not assume others see you or that you have the right-of-way.

Additional back-to-school safety tips from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) include:

• School Bus
  • It is illegal to pass a stopped school bus that is loading or unloading children.
  • Buses are the safest mode of transportation for children; however, kids need to be aware of the bus “danger zone”: blind spots around the bus where the driver may not be able to see them. Children should maintain a distance of 10 feet away from the front, sides and rear of the bus. (In average kid-speak, that’s five giant steps away from any side of the bus.)
  • Children should wait until the bus stops completely and the driver signals that it is ok to board; if crossing the street is necessary, wait for the driver to indicate it is safe to cross.
  • Check out Tips to Increase Your Child’s School Bus Safety.
• Motorist
  • Obey all signs, signals and crossing guards/police officers in school zones.
  • Slow down and be alert for children, walking or biking; they may be difficult to see and may appear suddenly and unexpectedly.
  • In low light and bad weather, pay extra attention around bus stops and school zones.
  • Do not block crosswalks or intersections; look ahead to determine whether you can get completely across the intersection to avoid “getting stuck” in it or on a crosswalk.
• Teen Motorist
  • To increase safety, NHTSA promotes the “5 to Drive” rules: NO cell phones, NO extra passengers, NO speeding, NO alcohol and ALWAYS buckle up.
  • Leave extra distance between you and the car in front of you, especially when in school traffic; anticipate frequent and unpredictable stop-and-go traffic; and look ahead for pedestrians and to avoid blocking intersections and crosswalks.
  • Do not be distracted by electronic devices or passengers; be focused on the roadway, what’s ahead and what’s around you.
  • Parents: Talk to your kids about traffic safety, even before they reach driving age, to get them thinking about it; set ground rules for your inexperienced driver and the consequences of breaking them.
• On Foot
  • Children should walk with a responsible adult and in a group.
  • Make sure you walk on the sidewalk; if there is not one, walk facing traffic.
  • Pay attention to the road and where you are going; do not play with, push or shove others.
  • Wear brightly-colored clothing to be more visible to drivers.
  • Cross at crosswalks, street corners or intersections; obey all signals and traffic rules when crossing. Look left-right-left for vehicles and bicycles and ensure the roadway is clear and safe before you step into the roadway.
• By Bicycle
  • Use the proper gear. Wear a helmet that fits properly and buckle it on every ride; ensure bicycles are appropriately sized to match your child’s size.
  • Teach your child a bicycle is a vehicle, not a toy.
  • Wear brightly-colored and reflective clothing to increase visibility.
  • Utilize the sidewalk whenever possible; if you ride on the roadway, ride in the same direction as traffic.
  • When riding on the sidewalk, you are expected to follow pedestrian traffic laws; when on the roadway, you are expected to follow motor vehicle traffic laws.
  • Practice reduces the likelihood of falls or crashes. In a safe place, help your child build and strengthen basic skills, such as starting and stopping, looking over their shoulders and signaling to vehicles.

“Everyone has a responsibility to maintain safety on the county’s roadways and around school zones,” the media release concluded.