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As 56 million students across the United States prepare for the 2011-12 school year, it's time to remind motorists to be aware of more kids, cars and congestion in and around school zones.
Be particularly cautious and alert during the morning and afternoon hours, times when children travel to and from school. As kids navigate through school zones usually congested with auto and school buses, AAA offers the following advice for motorists to keep kids safe:
Abide by the speed limit. School zone speed limits are purposefully set low, as children generally have difficulty gauging distance and speed of approaching cars. Kids might dart between parked cars, through intersections and from street corners.
Look for School Safety Patrollers. With more than a half million AAA School Safety Patrollers at 30,000 schools nationwide, they're a sure sign you're approaching a school zone.
Come to a complete stop at intersections with stop signs. Research shows more than one third of drivers roll through stop signs in school zones.
Always stop for loading or unloading school buses. It might be tempting to drive around stopped school buses, however it's not only dangerous, it's against the law.
Eliminate driver distractions. Taking your eyes off the road for two seconds doubles the chances of crashing. Putting down the phone makes for safer driving and sets a good example for young passengers and pedestrians.
In a recent study, researchers estimated that one in six motorists driving through a school zone was visibly distracted -- using cell phones or other electronic devices, such as eating, drinking, smoking, grooming, reading or looking or reaching into the back seat. Use of cell phones/electronics was the leading cause of distraction recorded by researchers.
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