Back-To-School Safety: Earlier Sunset Makes After-School Walking, Bus Transport More Dangerous
Previously, a number of articles regarding Back to School Safety issues were posted on the DC Metro Area Personal Injury Law Blog by Regan Zambri and Long. Add to those recommendations: darker evenings of autumn can pose added dangers to young pedestrians and school bus riders, who may not be seen as readily as usual by motorists. In addition to wearing shoes and backpacks with reflective strips or materials, a basic brush-up on pedestrian and school bus safety can pay dividends in this time of year. The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) offers the following Tips For Improving School Bus Safety in your neighborhood:
"Have local law enforcement agencies conduct special patrols to increase compliance with state laws requiring vehicles to stop for school buses loading and unloading students. Be sure to include the media.
Work with the PTA and other parent-teacher organizations to encourage parents to walk their children to the school bus. Encourage parents to discuss with their children the route they should use, where they should stand, and how they should behave as they wait for the school bus.
Conduct a school assembly to discuss proper behavior on the school bus and how it relates to passenger safety. Include role playing: have the school bus driver play the student role and the student play the school bus driver role.
Have each teacher discuss handrail snagging with students. Hold the discussion on a school bus for a hands-on experience. Students should take their book bags to use as props.
Check all school buses for defective handrails. If the handrails are defective, take them out of service until they are fixed.
Work with school and community organizations to encourage parents to review school bus safety with their children. They should discuss how to travel safely to and from the school bus stop, the rules of getting on and off the school bus, and proper behavior when riding the school bus.
Hold a school bus emergency evacuation drill. Involve the local police, emergency medical service, and rescue agency.
Contact your local or state Director of Pupil Transportation to find out what safety programs they sponsor.
Sponsor School Bus Driver Appreciation Day.
Host Switch Roles Day. Invite school bus drivers to “become” students by attending classes with their passengers. Give students the opportunity to “become” a school bus driver. Let them sit in the driver’s seat, look in the mirrors, and see what the school bus driver sees.
Have students draw maps of the routes they walk to the school bus, including where they stand to wait for the school bus. Discuss the safety issues that the maps display (crossing a busy intersection, where to wait for the school bus, etc.)
Produce a television or radio news segment on school bus safety using children from the community as reporters."
The following basic pedestrian safety tips appear on the website GetStreetSmarts.Org:
- "Cross the street only at intersections. Do not jaywalk.
- Use marked crosswalks where available.
- Do not cross in the middle of the street or between parked cars. Drivers are not expecting pedestrians to cross mid-block and you are more likely to be hit if you do this.
- Make eye contact with drivers when crossing busy streets and continue to watch out for traffic the entire time you are in the crosswalk. Your life may depend on it, regardless of whether or not you have the right-of-way.
- Remember, don't take those "NO RIGHT TURN ON RED" signs for granted. Always check for turning vehicles before stepping off the curb - motorists make mistakes too.
- Avoid walking in traffic where there are no sidewalks or crosswalks. If you have to walk on a road that does not have sidewalks, walk facing traffic.
- Stop at the curb and look left, right, and left again before you step into the street. Be sure to evaluate the distance and speed of oncoming traffic before you step out into the street to ensure that a vehicle has adequate distance in which to stop safely.
- At intersections, scan over your shoulder for turning vehicles. Make eye contact with the driver of a stopped car while crossing in front or in back of it -- making sure that the driver knows you are there. This is also important for cars that might be backing out of driveways.
- Wear bright colors or reflective clothing if you are walking near traffic at night. Carry a flashlight when walking in the dark.
- Use extra caution when crossing multiple-lane, higher speed streets.
- Always look for signs that a car is about to move (rear lights, exhaust smoke, sound of motor, wheels turning), and never walk behind a vehicle that is backing up.
- Children should not cross streets by themselves or be allowed to play or walk near traffic. Kids are small, unpredictable, and cannot judge vehicle distances and speeds.
- Always hold your child's hand. Never allow a child under 10 to cross the street alone.
- In foul weather (rain or snow), allow extra time and distance for a vehicle to stop. Do not let umbrellas or jacket hoods block your view of approaching traffic.
- If your view of approaching traffic is blocked by something, move to where you can see (e.g., outside edge of a parked car), stop and look left-right-left again.
- Never run or dash into the street.
- Watch out for entrances to parking lots. Sidewalks often cross driveways and entrances to parking lots. Always check to see if a car is entering or exiting the parking lot.
- If the intersection has a pedestrian signal, press the button and wait for the pedestrian signal to display the "WALK" indicator. The "WALK" signal indicates that it is safe for a pedestrian facing the signal to proceed across the roadway in that direction. Continue to be alert for traffic at all times, however, while in the roadway and always check for turning vehicles.
- A flashing "DON'T WALK" signal means that a pedestrian should not start to cross the roadway in the direction of the indicator, once the "DON'T WALK" sign begins to flash. This indicates that there is probably not enough time left in the cycle for you to cross the street safely. However, any pedestrian who has partially completed their crossing should finish crossing the street or proceed to a safety island in the same direction in which they were headed.
- A steadily illuminated "DON'T WALK" indicator means it is not safe for a pedestrian to enter the roadway in the direction of the indication. Pedestrians waiting to cross should wait for the next "WALK" signal in order to cross the street safely."
Previously on the D.C. Metro Area Personal Injury Law Blog, we have posted articles related to:
- School bus safety tips for kids and drivers
- Walking and biking to school safely
- General pedestrian safety advice
For information about your legal rights, please click here or call the law firm of Regan Zambri & Long, PLLC at 202-463-3030.
