With students heading back to school this week, it’s important for drivers to keep in mind that there will be more pedestrian and bicycle traffic on the roads and in cross walks. The busiest times are between 7 and 8 am and 3 and 4 pm.
Here are some driving tips to keep everyone safe:
- Limit distractions while driving and talk to your children about looking up when crossing the street.
- Brake for buses and stop 20 feet behind them to allow for students to cross. It’s against the law to pass a school bus when red lights are flashing
- Slow down.
- Watch for children on bikes and allow at least 3 feet of passing distance between your vehicle and the bicyclist.
- Be careful backing up and take in consideration your vehicle’s blind spots
- Come to a complete stop at crosswalks and look for pedestrians before continuing
- Talk to your teen about driving safely. One in four car crashes occur between 3 and 7pm and involve a teen driver.