With the start of the new school year just around the corner, the Clarendon County School District is calling on the community to prioritize student safety. As school buses return to the roads next week, the district emphasizes the importance of adhering to traffic laws to protect children.
On two-lane roads, drivers traveling in both directions are required to stop for a school bus when its red lights are flashing, regardless of whether there is a paved, raised, or grassy median. On roads with four or more lanes, only drivers traveling in the same direction as the bus must stop, while those on the opposite side should proceed with caution.
School days bring increased traffic and congestion as school buses pick up their passengers, children on bikes hurry to get to school, and parents drop off their children. It is crucial for drivers to slow down and pay attention, particularly before and after school.
Parents dropping off their children are reminded to follow specific school drop-off procedures to ensure the safety of all students. Double parking, which blocks visibility for other children and vehicles, and loading or unloading children across the street from the school are both discouraged. Carpooling is also recommended to reduce the number of vehicles at the school.
According to the National Safety Council, most children who lose their lives in bus-related incidents are between 4 and 7 years old. These incidents often occur when children are walking and are hit by the bus or by a motorist illegally passing a stopped bus. Motorists should take several precautions to keep young pedestrians safe:
-Do not block crosswalks when stopped at a red light or waiting to make a turn.
-Stop and yield to pedestrians crossing the crosswalk or intersection in school zones when flashers are blinking.
-Always stop for school patrol officers or crossing guards holding up a stop sign.
-Take extra care to look for children in school zones, near playgrounds and parks, and in all residential areas.
-Never honk or rev your engine to scare a pedestrian, even if you have the right of way.
-Never pass a vehicle stopped for pedestrians.
-Use extreme caution to avoid striking pedestrians wherever they may be.
When sharing the road with school buses, drivers should allow a greater following distance to give themselves 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. Drivers must never pass a bus from behind or from either direction on an undivided road if the bus is stopped to load or unload children.
The area around a school bus is the most dangerous for children, so it is important to stop far enough back to allow them space to safely enter and exit the bus. Additionally, drivers should remain alert as children often act unpredictably, ignoring hazards and taking risks.
Sharing the road with bicyclists also requires special attention. On most roads, bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as vehicles, but they can be harder to see. Children on bikes may not be able to properly assess traffic conditions. The most common cause of collisions is a driver turning left in front of a bicyclist.
Drivers should:
-Proceed slowly when passing a bicyclist and leave three feet between the car and the cyclist.
-Wait for a bicyclist to pass when turning left and a bicyclist is approaching in the opposite direction.
-Let the bicyclist go through the intersection first when turning right and a bicyclist is approaching from behind on the right.
-Be vigilant in school zones and residential neighborhoods.
-Watch for bikes coming from driveways or behind parked cars.
-Check side mirrors before opening car doors.
By exercising extra care and caution, drivers and pedestrians can safely coexist in school zones.
