Kirtland Air Force Base, NM -- Drivers passing through the school zone have to be vigilant and focus on driving safely. Watch for children walking and riding bikes across the street.
The school zone speed limit is 15 miles per hour when warning lights are flashing. When the lights are not flashing, drivers still have to watch for children in the area.
As parents know, the only predictable thing about children is that they are unpredictable. That's why parents need to educate their children about safely crossing streets at crosswalks.
Tips for parents
· Help your children learn and practice the safety rules for walking, bicycling and riding in a car or bus.
· Supervise/escort young children as they are walking or biking to school.
· Be a good role model. Always buckle up in the car, always wear a helmet when biking and always follow pedestrian safety rules.
Tips for children
· Cross the street at marked crosswalks and intersections where possible.
· Always stop at the curb or the edge of the road and look left, right and left again before crossing. Continue looking in this manner until you are able to cross safely.
· If your vision is blocked by a parked car or other obstacle, slowly move out to where drivers can see you and you can see other vehicles -- then stop, and look left-right-left again.
· Obey and follow all traffic signals and/or the crossing guard.
· Walk your bike through intersections.
· Wear reflective material -- it makes you more visible.
· Always wear a helmet and follow traffic safety rules when riding your bike
· Be a good role model for younger children, and help them learn and practice the safety rules
Facts for everyone
· Young children are quick and often unaware of danger. Each year, many children are injured or killed when they suddenly dart into the path of a car
· Most young children are injured near their home or on their own street
· Most crashes involving young children occur between 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.
· Most crashes involving young children occur in fair and warm weather
· Twice as many young boys are injured as young girls
Tips for vehicle operators:
· When children are present, slow down and proceed with caution
· Be alert and ready to stop
· Watch for children walking in the street, especially where there are no sidewalks
· Watch for children playing and gathering near bus stops
· Watch for children arriving late for school, who may dart into the street without looking for traffic
· When backing out of a driveway or leaving a garage, watch for children walking or biking to school
· When driving in neighborhoods or school zones, watch for children who may be in a hurry to get to school and may not be thinking about getting there safely
Pedestrians have the right of way at crosswalks; motorists must yield to them when turning.
Stop for pedestrians when making a right-turn-on-red or left-turn on full green, leaving enough room at intersections so pedestrians can cross safely.
Drivers must vigilantly watch the road at all times, and always follow the speed limit, especially in designated school zones.
Finally, the Air Force Instruction for Traffic Safety, AFI 91-207, 3.2.2 says vehicle operators on Air Force installations and operators of government-owned, -leased or -rented vehicles on or off an Air Force installation, shall not use cell phones while the vehicle is in operation, except when using a hands-free device or hands-free operating mode.
Distractions while driving are all around us, and traveling through a school zone demands the driver's full attention.
The most important thing drivers can do to protect our children in school zones is to slow down.