School is in session which means more children in the neighborhood are walking or riding their bikes and getting on and off the school bus, and they are often unaware of their surroundings. We would like to remind all motorists to slow down and pay some extra attention when children are present, especially before and after school.
Safety Precautions:
- Don’t block crosswalks when stopped at a red light, stop sign or when waiting to make a turn.
- When in a school zone and lights are flashing, reduce your speed, stop and yield to pedestrians crossing the crosswalk or intersection.
- Always stop for a crossing guard.
- Never pass a vehicle that is stopped for pedestrians.
- Be alert when you back out of a driveway or while you drive through your neighborhood, school zone or bus stop.
- Slow down and watch for people walking in the street, especially if there are no sidewalks in the neighborhood
- Be aware for children playing and congregating near bus stops or street corners.
School Drop Off and Pick Up:
- Know and follow your school’s specific procedures.
- Do not load or unload your children across the street from the school or in unsafe areas.
- Carpool to help reduce the number of vehicles.
School Bus Rules:
- Yellow flashing lights on a school bus means you should slow down because the bus is preparing to stop.
- Red flashing lights and an extended stop arm means stop. All traffic on the roadway, unless the roadway is divided by a raised center median, is required to stop for a school bus. Motorist should remain stopped until the red lights stop flashing, the extended stop arm is withdrawn and the bus begins moving.
- The 10-foot area around a school buss is the most dangerous for children; please stop far enough back to allow them space to safely enter and exit the bus.
Taking these precautions and being aware of your surroundings, you can help reduce the likelihood of an unnecessary collision.
Call R.C. Keller & Company at 847-907-4520!
R.C. Keller & Company has been protection the motorists of Schaumburg and the surrounding northwest suburbs since 1910. We are a fourth-generation independent insurance agency, that offer our clients choice. If you have questions or are looking for a no-obligation quote on your home insurance, auto insurance or business insurance, give one of our experts a call today.