School's Open Drive Carefully
The beginning of the school year is approaching with the fall season, and the Mid-Atlantic Foundation for Safety and Education and AAA urges motorists to stay alert and be cautious while children are traveling to and from school.
Children will be returning to school soon. Morning can be a dangerous time for children, as they travel to the bus stop, ride their bike to school or walk along their routine path. Afternoon introduces additional risks as the ring of the final bell marks the sound of freedom for school-age children. Unfortunately, children are often distracted by thoughts of playtime or are unable to accurately judge traffic situations while on their journey home.
According to the National Highway Traffic Administration, one-fifth of all children 14 years of age and younger who die in motor vehicle crashes are pedestrians. On average, one pedestrian is killed in the United States every two hours. How do we prevent this from happening? You can help!
The Mid-Atlantic Foundation for Safety and Education will present a variety of programs that emphasize safety and are supported by strategically placed posters, bumper strips and tip cards. "School Bus Safety" and "Parents: Avoid Becoming a Traffic Hazard" tip cards can be downloaded and distributed to your school community. Our hope is that by working actively with communities, we will prevail in our efforts to decrease child fatalities due to car crashes.
To get press-ready tip cards please click here to download and save to your computer (These are high resolution files and could take a few minutes to download depending on your connection speed):
Drivers Tips to Keep School Children Safe
- Slow down in or near school and residential areas.
- Drive with your headlights on - even during the day - so children and other drivers can see you.
- Look for clues such as School Safety Patrols, Adult Crossing Guards, bicycles, and playgrounds, which indicate children could be in the area.
- Always stop for school buses that are loading/unloading students.
- Limit distractions such as cell phones, CD players or other devices that cause you to take your eyes off the road.
- Practice extra caution in adverse weather conditions.
- Pay particular attention near schools during the morning and afternoon hours.
- Scan between parked cars and other objects for signs that children could dart into the road.
Safe Walking Tips for Children
- Always obey Adult Crossing Guards and AAA School Safety Patrols.
- Before crossing - look all ways.
- Obey all traffic signals.
- Use crosswalks and corners to cross the road.
- Where there is no sidewalk and it is necessary to walk in the roadway, walk facing traffic and as far from the roadway as possible.
- Avoid crossing between parked cars.
- Watch for cars. Be sure that the way is clear before you cross.
Remember, school's open - drive carefully. You can make a difference just by staying alert and taking the extra care while driving where children are present.