The streets surrounding schools in the United States are designated as “school zones” and have their own set of rules and regulations. If you get pulled over in a school zone, the police officer is much less likely to be lenient, and the risk of hitting a child is never worth driving too fast.
Watch for Signs
Some school zones have signs with flashing lights, while others aren’t as obvious. If you see a yellow sign, always slow down so you don’t have to hit the brakes. Always watch for kids, even if the lights on the sign aren’t flashing. A child who is late to school could run across the road, and if you are moving too quickly, it could be tough to stop in time.
Stay Back from Buses
School buses often drive through school zones to drop off and pick up the students. If there are no flashing lights on the bus, you may proceed with caution. But as soon as the red lights start flashing and/or stop signs come out from the sides of the bus, you must stop immediately. Even if you are partway past the bus, it is always better to stop because you never know if a child will dart out of the door without warning.
Avoid Acceleration
As you move through a school zone, allow your car to coast at a low speed instead of pressing on the gas.
With a few simple modifications to your driving habits, you can do your part in keeping school zones safe for children.
Image via Flickr by Brian
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