Back to School Safety: Focusing on Student Safety in School Zones

As the school bells ring again across Missouri, an important focus on back to school safety shifts to the roads around our schools. While there are many components to a child’s safety, a driver’s vigilance is arguably the most important factor in preventing accidents. Some of the most important aspects of back to school safety is around driver awareness, specifically school speed limits, crosswalk safety, and avoiding distracted driving. 

The Critical Zone: Obeying School Speed Limits

The reduced speed limits in school zones aren't just suggestions; they are a critical, enforceable law designed to protect child safety. When your vehicle is in a school zone, you need to keep your speed in check.

• Reaction Time: A slower speed provides a driver with more time to react to the unpredictable actions of children. At just 25 mph, a vehicle travels over 36 feet per second. That small difference between 25 mph and 35 mph can be the difference between stopping in time and a tragic accident.

• Stopping Distance: The relationship between speed and stopping distance is not linear; it's exponential. At 20 mph, a vehicle needs about 40 feet to stop. At 30 mph, that distance jumps to over 70 feet. The lower speed limits are specifically calculated to allow you enough time and distance to stop for a child who may dart into the street unexpectedly.

• Your commitment to slowing down in these areas is the first and most crucial step in ensuring student safety.

Crossing with Care: Crosswalk Safety

Crosswalks are the designated safe havens for students on foot. As a driver, you have a legal and moral obligation to honor them.

• Yield to Pedestrians: In a crosswalk, pedestrians have the right-of-way. It is the law to yield and stop your vehicle completely for any pedestrian who is entering or is already in a crosswalk. This applies to both marked and unmarked crosswalks.

• Wait for the All-Clear: Never rush or try to pass children in a crosswalk, even if you think you have time. Wait until they have fully crossed the street and are safely on the sidewalk before you proceed. This patience is vital, as a child may drop something or turn back unexpectedly.

• Respect the Crossing Guard: Crossing guards are the first line of defense and awareness for every student and driver. Their signals supersede traffic lights and signs. Always obey their instructions and wait patiently until they wave you through.

  
  

Focus Forward: Avoiding Distracted Driving

In the busy environment of a school zone, a moment of inattention can have dire consequences. Distracted driving is any activity that takes your attention away from the primary task of driving, and it is a leading cause of accidents involving children.

• Put the Phone Away: Your phone is the number one distraction for drivers. Sending a text, checking an email, or scrolling social media while driving through a school zone is illegal and recklessly endangers lives.

• Focus on the Road, Not the Car: Adjusting the radio, talking to passengers, or even looking for a dropped item can take your eyes off the road for several seconds. These moments of distraction are often when accidents occur.

• The Link to Safety: The danger of distracted driving is that it directly undermines your ability to obey the speed limits and react to pedestrians in crosswalks. You cannot yield to a child you don't see, and you cannot brake in time if you're not paying attention.

  
  

By making a conscious decision to slow down, honor crosswalks, and put all distractions aside, you are taking the most impactful steps to ensure back to school safety and protecting the lives of every student in our community.

Black Jack Fire Protection District is here if you need us during the sometimes stressful back to school days. We want everyone to stay as safe as possible while getting back into the swing of schooltime, so please keep school zone safety in mind as you go to work or drop off your kids. Let’s finish out the summer with a safe return to school!