Phone: 905-815-9447 | Toll Free: 888-308-3777 | Login

Back to School Road Safety: It’s Time To Pay More Attention in School Zones

School-Bus-Safety-300x200

It’s that time of the year again. It’s time for the kids to go back to school. After a long summer it’s easy for drivers to forget to slow down and pay more attention in school zones, but it’s imperative that drivers, parents, and children take the time to review school zone safety. With more cars, school buses, and pedestrians on the road each day, it’s time to put a greater focus on road safety.

It’s estimated that More than 30 children are killed and 2,400 are seriously injured in a typical year. This is way too many instances of children getting hurt in situations that could have been prevented. The issue is not just drivers failing to pay attention, slow down and abide by the rules of the road. Pedestrians also need to do their part and pay attention to their surroundings.

“Make sure everybody is focused on walking,” Alex Kelly, a program coordinator with Parachute Canada said to Global News. “We need to makes sure that people are focused on walking, looking around and focused on their surroundings.”

Parents and children should follow these rules when walking to and from school and when present in school zones:

  • Walk on the sidewalk when possible
  • Always cross at crosswalks and intersections
  • Always make eye contact with drivers before cross the street
  • Be at your bus stop on time and follow the instructions of your bus driver
  • Never dart out into traffic, especially from behind a parked car, tree, or other larger objects
  • If you are riding your bicycle, always wear a helmet

For Drivers:

  • Be aware of when you are driving in school zones and pay extra attention to your surroundings
  • Slow down
  • Be ready to stop suddenly at all times. You never know when a child could walk out into traffic
  • Always make eye contact with children before proceeding through an intersection or crosswalk
  • Follow the directions of the crossing guard
  • Follow all the rules for dropping your children off and picking them up from school
  • Keep a safe distance from school buses and be prepared to stop

Putting a little more effort into being a safe and responsible driver can not only make our roads safe, it could save a life. Join Gem Limousine and dedicate yourself to becoming a safer driver this school year.