Be Careful in Those School Zones
While some of the local private and charter schools have already begun, the heavy guns of the major school districts in San Antonio begin classes on Monday, August 25th. As buses and busy parents hit the road to deliver their kids to school, many drivers find themselves unexpectedly delayed as they forget that all those cars are back on the road. This can get dangerous, particularly around schools, which is why school zones exist. Keeping children safe as they hop off buses and rush off to classes is a priority and here are some quick driving pointers to make it through the back to school craze.
- Pay attention to school zones – 7-9 AM and 2-4 PM are primetime for school zones. Watch for flashing yellow lights in most school zones and signs in them all. Even if the lights aren’t flashing – slow down and watch for kids.
- Watch your speed – If you’re normally pretty lead footed, make an extra special effort to slow down and beware those little ones. The 20 MPH may seem like a crawl, but it’s worth it in the long run.
- Hang up the phone – Talking on a cell phone in a school zone is a crime and it’s dangerous. So go hands free, or better yet, hold off on those calls until you’re parked.
- Stop for all school busses – If the bus is stopped and the lights are flashing or the stop sign is out, traffic in both directions is required to stop. There have been many students in the past few years who have died getting off the school bus because of drivers who failed to follow this rule.
- Plan ahead – We get rather spoiled in the summer when kids are out of school. But now, the drop off and pick up lines will wrap around the block and there will likely be a concentration of cars in school areas at those prime times of the day. Be aware that your commute will take a little longer so that you don’t wind up rushing, especially in those school zones!
image courtesy of aldrin_muya
