JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO, Texas –
As parents and children prepare for the new school year, drivers should be mindful of increased traffic and activity around schools.
School buses will be stopping frequently to pick up and drop off students, young cyclists may be commuting to and from school, and parents will be navigating school zones during drop-off and pickup times.
After a long summer break, it's easy to forget these changes in routine. Therefore, it is essential for all drivers to slow down and remain vigilant, particularly during school hours.
Sharing the road with young pedestrians
Familiarize yourself with your school's specific drop-off procedures for the new school year, as these are crucial for student safety. Double parking and loading/unloading across the street are prohibited in school zones.
Distracted driving or speeding is never OK. The posted speed limit in the on-base school zone is 15 miles per hour. Carpooling or walking can help reduce the number of vehicles in the drop-off area.
According to research by the National Safety Council, most of the children who lose their lives in bus-related incidents are 4 to 7 years old, and they're walking. They are hit by the bus, or by a motorist illegally passing a stopped bus.
A few precautions can go a long way toward keeping children safe:
- Don't block the crosswalk when stopped at a red light or waiting to make a turn, forcing pedestrians to go around you; this could put them in the path of moving traffic.
- In a school zone when flashers are blinking, stop and yield to pedestrians crossing the crosswalk or intersection
- Always stop for a school patrol officer or crossing guard holding up a stop sign.
- Take extra care to look for children in school zones, near playgrounds and parks, and in all residential areas.
- Don't honk or rev your engine to scare a pedestrian, even if you have the right-of-way.
- Never pass a vehicle stopped for pedestrians.
- Always use extreme caution to avoid striking pedestrians wherever they may be, no matter who has the right of way.
Sharing the road with bicyclists
While bicycles share the same road rights and rules as cars, their smaller size makes them difficult to spot, leading to frequent collisions, particularly when drivers turn left in front of a cyclist, especially when the cyclist is a child who may not accurately assess traffic conditions.
Following these rules of the road can prevent a vehicle/pedestrian accident:
- When passing a bicyclist, proceed in the same direction slowly, and leave 3 feet between your car and the cyclist.
- When turning left and a bicyclist is approaching in the opposite direction, wait for the rider to pass.
- If you're turning right and a bicyclist is approaching from behind on the right, let the rider go through the intersection first, and always use your turn signals.
- Watch for bike riders turning in front of you without looking or signaling; children especially have a tendency to do this.
- Be extra vigilant in school zones and residential neighborhoods.
- Watch for bikes coming from driveways or behind parked cars.
- Check side mirrors before opening your door.
By exercising a little extra care and caution, drivers and pedestrians can co-exist safely in school zones.
For more information about back-to-school safety, visit the National Safety Council website at www.nsc.org/home-safety/seasonal-safety/back-to-school/drivers, or contact our fire prevention offices at JBSA-Fort Sam Houston at 210-221-2727, at JBSA-Lackland at 210-671-2921, or at JBSA-Randolph at 210-652-6915.