Back-to-School Driving Safety Tips

August is back-to-school month for Tampa Bay students, meaning the summer traffic lull will be coming to an end as more cars and buses will be hitting the roads. This is an excellent opportunity to refresh yourself, and your children, about safe driving. Here are our tips to prepare for the back-to-school rush.

• Mind school zones and speed limits.
  • School zones are designed as areas around schools where special speed limits are enforced during certain hours of the day. Slow down and be attentive, especially during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up. Keeping within the speed limit can make a significant difference in preventing accidents and ensuring safety for pedestrians.

• Give yourself more time to get to your location.
  • Crosswalks, school zones, and buses will slow traffic and increase the time necessary for daily commuting. Giving yourself an extra ten minutes will prevent tardiness and will leave you feeling less stressed or angry when faced with traffic. 

• Keep your eyes on the road.
  • Kids will be crossing streets or waiting at corners for buses, it’s imperative to remain alert. Being distracted by your phone can be deadly – 25,000 children are injured annually, and more than 100 are killed on average while walking to or from school, according to the Transportation Research Board. This is why it is critical that you remain mindful of your surroundings, especially children who can be unpredictable.

• Be aware of pedestrians and give them the right of way.
  • Please don’t honk your horns as school children cross streets – it makes them nervous and reactive. Refrain from honking your horn or passing a car waiting for pedestrians to cross a street. These events increase stress and the likelihood of an accident.

We are happy our community of kids is back to school and learning new things. Let’s do what we can to make it a safer environment for all of us on the road!