Watch out for our school children

Our children will be headed back to school Monday, which means it’s time for us to start paying more attention on the roads than we think we have to.

All too often driving becomes something else we’re doing while doing something we believe to be more important.

During the time when school is in session, there is nothing we do while driving that is more important than paying attention to the road.

That’s not to say that there’s anything more important at any time while behind the wheel than paying attention to the road.

But when our youth are out and about going about the business of obtaining an education, it becomes our responsibility to make sure we take extra precautions to keep them safe.

When traveling through residential neighborhoods, we need to put down the phone and watch out for our kid as they make their way to or from the various bus stops.

Talking on a cell phone is distracting. Of that there is no dispute.

Texting on a cell phone is distracting. Of that there is no dispute.

Checking emails while driving is distracting. Of that there is no dispute.

Surfing the internet while driving is distracting. Of that there is no dispute.

Knowing all of this, we still watch daily as people do these things while trying to drive a car.

Our children are much too important a resource to our future to take chances with their lives.

Children like to have some fun. The younger they are, the more easily distracted they are to something fun.

We, as drivers, never know when a young child may come bolting out into traffic chasing a ball, chasing an errant school paper, chasing a friend. We can’t expect small children to stop and check crossing traffic before they bolt out into the street.

We hope they learn that lesson often and well at a young age. But we’re realistic enough to know that young minds don’t have the attention span older minds have.

We have to pay attention to the school bus. And we have to slow down in school zones.

When the bus is stopped on our side of the road taking on or letting off passengers, we must stop and wait until the bus begins moving again.

If the bus is stopped in an oncoming lane and there is no divider, we must stop and wait while the bus takes on or drops off passengers.

The reasons for that are simple. If we continue driving past the bus, the children exiting, or waiting to enter, will be standing in the way.

It is up to us to keep our children safe.

Put away the cell phones. Put away the laptops. Put away the makeup. Put away anything that you might be tempted to use while driving so you can pay attention to our kids.

The sheriff’s department has already announced that extra attention will be paid to school zones next week as we all gear up toward remembering the return of school children.

They will issue citations for speeding in school zones and illegally passing buses.

We also want to remind our children who ride bicycles that they must follow the same rules of the road as cars if they’re riding to and from school or the bus stop, and if they’re using a sidewalk, they must yield to pedestrians crossing the streets.

Children under the age of 16 must wear helmets on bicycles, and riders are subject to a $25 fine for not obeying bicycle rules.

We’re not looking to establish a punitive atmosphere.

We want safety for our kids. It’s something that will take all of us paying attention, being vigilant, slowing down and obeying the traffic laws.

No Comments »