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ISP safety recommendations for new school year |
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September 11, 2014 |
Idaho's school children are back in school and
Idaho State Police along with local law
enforcement agencies want to warn motorists of
the danger that may be just around the corner as
children travel to and from school each day. ISP
reminds motorists to slow down and take notice
of speed limits in school zones and to watch for
children everywhere as they wait at bus stops or
walk or ride their bikes or scooters to school.
"Slow down," says Idaho State Police Lieutenant
Chris Weadick, "It's the most
obvious way to see what is going on around you
and to give you time to react if a
child steps into the road unexpectedly."
School-age children face greater risks due to
their inexperience on roads and their
excitement for the start of the school year.
This is why it is so important for
motorists and students to be on the lookout for
each other, especially during the
first few weeks of school.
Last year 71 of the 218, or 42%, of Idaho
pedestrians injured or killed in crashes
were age 19 and younger. Based on traffic data
collected by the Idaho
Transportation Department, 34 of those killed or
injured involved children betweenthe ages of 4
and 14. According to the AAA Foundation
for Traffic Safety, a pedestrian struck by a
vehicle traveling at 25 mph is nearly two-thirds
less likely to be killed as compared to a
pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling just 10
mph faster.
Reminders for Drivers
When approaching a school zone on days when
school is in session a driver must:
- Yield to any children or adults crossing in
the crosswalk;
- Reduce vehicle speed to the posted limit,
which is typically 20 mph; speeding
in a school zone could result in a $156.50 fine.
Reminder for Parents and Children
- Remind your children to be sure to cross at
intersections and crosswalks and to
use traffic signals;
- Teach kids to look left, right and left again
when crossing the street;
- Remind kids to make eye contact with drivers
before crossing the street and to
watch out for cars turning or backing up.
Sharing the Road with School Buses
Think before passing a school bus. Saving
a few extra minutes of drive time is not
worth the life of a child. Idaho law mandates
that a driver must stop when meeting
or passing a school bus in any direction and the
visual signals of the bus are in
operation. The driver cannot proceed until the
bus resumes movement or the signals are turned
off.
Lastly, drivers should know that Idaho State
Police and other law enforcement will
be strictly enforcing school zone speed limits
and school bus passing violations
during the entire school year. |
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