School’s Open—Drive Carefully campaign underway

The New York State Police urges everyone to support the AAA’s annual “School’s Open—Drive Carefully” campaign to help preserve the safety of children traveling to and from school.

AAA’s yearly “School’s Open—Drive Carefully” campaign alerts motorists to the special risks to school-age children from motor vehicle crashes, the leading cause of death for children from five to fourteen years old. The campaign runs through October 11.

Children tend to be at greater risk during the back-to-school period because they are thinking more about seeing old friends and new teachers than watching for cars and trucks.  Others are going to school for the first time.

Motorists will receive an additional reminder each time they see one of the “School’s Open” bumper stickers on State Police vehicles, as well as other official vehicles, school buses and passenger cars.

With traffic safety a top priority for the New York State Police, we will once again ramp up enforcement and raise driver awareness as school buses return to our roads and our children walk our sidewalks. We ask that parents, friends and neighbors spread the word and work with law enforcement year round. Please pay attention behind the wheel to make sure our kids stay safe.

Drivers should be especially cautious in school areas, keeping their speed at or below posted limits and being prepared to stop, on both sides of the street, for school buses with flashing red lights, as required by New York State law.

To help protect children, AAA offers these six pedestrian-safety tips to parents:

•    Look all ways before crossing the street.
•    Cross only at corners.
•    Obey police officers, school crossing guards, members of AAA School
      Safety Patrols, and traffic signals.
•    Watch for turning cars.
•    Be especially alert in bad weather.
•    Play away from traffic.

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Submitted by Brewster, NY

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