Road safety when school starts

School season in some Arizona communities has started, which means that many buses will be on the road as well as kids walking to school in some areas. This is not to mention those parents who take their children to school. It is a marked increase in traffic, usually happening at the same time as the morning and evening rush hours. This means that highway safety will be of the highest priority, including patrol officers commonly very close to school buses and foot traffic by children on their way to school. Here are a few things Arizona drivers should remember at this time of year.

Heightened safety awareness

One of the primary changes for motorists during school season is the marked “reduced speed” stretches of highway near local schools. This includes entry points to campus even when the facilities are set well away from the highway. Many motor vehicle accidents happen when these reduced speed school zones are violated by unobservant drivers, and police officers are often quick to cite those who violate the speed limit in these areas.

Driving near school buses

Another important element of driving during school season is being on the road in close proximity to school buses. There are specific laws that school bus drivers must follow in the process of picking up and delivering students, including making complete stops at railroad crossings and displaying their school bus stop sign when coming to a complete halt to load and unload passengers. These regulations are in place specifically to reduce the number of vehicle accidents occurring during the school year, and it is important for all motorists to understand what school bus drivers are dealing with in transporting students.

While it is important to be conscious of other drivers and stay alert when in congested traffic, it is even more important when near a bus carrying many children to and from school. There are often terrible consequences when school buses are involved in motor vehicle accidents, and it is incumbent on all Arizona drivers to help keep the roads safe during this time of year.