Drivers, bicyclists, pedestrians reminded to think school safety

Students return to classrooms across Texas Aug. 24 and that means motorists will be sharing the roads with school buses, pedestrians, bicycle riders and lots of new teen drivers taking their first car to school.

According to the National Safety Council, teen car crashes spike in September when they are driving to and from school.

The council also cautions drivers young and old to be vigilant because child pedestrians can be very unpredictable. “They’re easily distracted and can often run into traffic or out from behind parked cars. Looking out for children rather than expecting them to look out for us is our best defense as drivers,” the council said.

Distracted driving is always dangerous, but it is especially dangerous in and around school zones, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. Crashes in school zones are most commonly due to driver inattention, failure to control speed and failure to yield the right-of-way at stop signs, TxDOT stats show.

To read the full article, subscribe to the Canton Herald or pick up a copy from one of our vendors.