Avoiding Traffic Violations During the Back-To-School Season
Summer is over – at least as far as your local school district is concerned. Whether your own children are back to hitting the books or you’re just seeing the steady stream of school buses that have returned to the roadway, you need to take a moment to assess whether you’ve gotten lazy in your safe driving habits. Not only do you want to make sure you play no part in any type of tragic accident you also want to avoid traffic violations during the back-to-school season. There are certain driving rules that are essentially tied to the school season, and by reviewing the list below, you’ll help yourself avoid the need for our traffic services.
School Zone Speed Limits
You know you’ve noticed the speed limit signs that are posted on all approaches to a school. They demark the school zone and are often supplemented by blinking lights. School zone speed limits are far lower than that of the roads that surround them, and this is true whether the school is on a busy road or hidden in the quiet streets of a neighborhood. Speeding within a school zone carries extra fines and extra points, so pay attention and take your foot off the gas until you’ve passed the sign that tells you that you’ve cleared the area.
Crosswalks
Areas in which children walk to school tend to have painted crosswalks, and many of them also have crossing guards to direct traffic. Whether the guard is present or not, you need to be aware of the possibility that children are in the area. Be cautious and ready to stop for pedestrians at a crosswalk. Failure to obey a crossing guard carries extra penalties.
School Buses
All school buses are equipped with blinking lights that notify drivers of the bus’ status. When the lights flash yellow, drivers are permitted to keep driving but to do so slowly and use caution. Once the lights blink red, all traffic is expected to stop, and drivers who fail to do so run a very real risk of being reported to the police, and facing steep fines and penalties.
Generally speaking, back to school means more traffic, more pedestrians and more cyclists. Make sure that you are using caution when on the road: dropping your speed and paying attention to the rules may not only save a young life but also save you from having to pay steep fines or incurring traffic violation penalties. If you need our traffic services, contact us today.