Children are returning to school full-time after a long summer and hybrid/at-home school year in 2020. There is a lot of excitement in the air and vehicles on the road. The attorneys with Althauser Rayan Abbarno remind you to drive safely and avoid collisions and injuries by staying alert. The National Safety Council and Washington state Department of Transportation have great resources.
School days bring a lot vehicle, foot, and bicycle congestion: School buses are picking up students, kids are riding bikes and hurrying to get to school before the bell rings, and parents are trying to drop their kids off before and after work. It’s never more important for drivers to slow down and pay attention than when kids are present – especially before and after school.
If You’re Dropping Off or Picking Up
Our local schools have very specific drop-off procedures for the school year. What you knew last year may have changed. Make sure you know them for the safety of all the students, parents, and teachers.
The following apply to all school zones:
- Don’t double park; it blocks visibility for other children and vehicles
- Don’t load or unload children across the street from the school
- Children should get out of the vehicle on the curb side and avoid crossing the street
- Carpool to reduce the number of vehicles at the school
And, don’t forget that you can pull over or put on your hazard lights if you are unsure of your surrounding and direction.
Sharing the Road with Young Pedestrians
According to research by the National Safety Council, most of the children who lose their lives in bus-related incidents are 4 to 7 years old, and they’re walking. They are hit by the bus, or by a motorist illegally passing a stopped bus. A few precautions go a long way toward keeping children safe:
- Don’t block the crosswalk when stopped at a red light or waiting to make a turn, forcing pedestrians to go around you; this could put them in the path of moving traffic
- In a school zone when flashers are blinking, stop and yield to pedestrians crossing the crosswalk or intersection
- Always stop for a school patrol officer or crossing guard holding up a stop sign
- Take extra care to look out for children in school zones, near playgrounds and parks, and in all residential areas
- Don’t honk or rev your engine to scare a pedestrian, even if you have the right of way
- Never pass a vehicle stopped for pedestrians
- Always use extreme caution to avoid striking pedestrians wherever they may be, no matter who has the right of way
Sharing the Road with School Buses
If you’re driving behind a bus, allow a greater following distance than if you were driving behind a car. It will give you more time to stop once the yellow lights start flashing. It is illegal in all 50 states to pass a school bus that is stopped to load or unload children.
- Never pass a bus from behind – or from either direction if you’re on an undivided road – if it is stopped to load or unload children
- If the yellow or red lights are flashing and the stop arm is extended, traffic must stop
- The area 10 feet around a school bus is the most dangerous for children; stop far enough back to allow them space to safely enter and exit the bus
- Be alert; children often are unpredictable, and they tend to ignore hazards and take risks
Sharing the Road with Bicyclists
On most roads, bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as vehicles, but bikes can be hard to see. Children riding bikes create special problems for drivers because usually they are not able to properly determine traffic conditions. The most common cause of collision is a driver turning left in front of a bicyclist.
- When passing a bicyclist, proceed in the same direction slowly, and leave 3 feet between your car and the cyclist
- When turning left and a bicyclist is approaching in the opposite direction, wait for the rider to pass
- If you’re turning right and a bicyclists is approaching from behind on the right, let the rider go through the intersection first, and always use your turn signals
- Watch for bike riders turning in front of you without looking or signaling; children especially have a tendency to do this
- Be extra vigilant in school zones and residential neighborhoods
- Watch for bikes coming from driveways or behind parked cars
- Check side mirrors before opening your door
By exercising a little extra care and caution, drivers and pedestrians can co-exist safely in school zones.
Basic Safety Tips from Althauser Rayan Abbarno Attorneys in Centralia and Olympia
1. Know where the school zones are located on your daily commute.
2. If you can, reroute your commute to avoid school zones.
3. If you can’t avoid school zones, SLOW DOWN and PAY ATTENTION
4. Respect the school crossing guard
5. Know the law, and if you have questions, call Althauser Rayan Abbarno.
6. Follow the rules when picking up and dropping off children at school
7. Even when not driving in school zones, be mindful of small pedestrians when school is in session.
8. Drive safely, but if you or someone you know is injured and needs legal assistance, call Althauser Rayan Abbarno
For a consultation with our Althauser Rayan Abbarno attorneys in Centralia or Olympia, call (360) 736-1301 or visit www.CentraliaLaw.com
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