School is back in session! Bradenton Fire Department personnel joined in welcoming students back to school throughout the city. This annual event provides us the opportunity to greet students, interact with our community, and remind all travelers to stay alert while on or near roadways.
The hard facts from Safe Kids Worldwide are that unintentional pedestrian injury is the fifth-leading cause of injury-related fatalities in children and adolescents (ages 5 to 19) in the United States, and teenagers account for half of all child pedestrian deaths.
Please join us in following and sharing these tips to ensure our students travel safely this school year.
Pedestrians
• Practice the walking route to and from school with a parent or adult.
• Stay alert and avoid distractions from phones and electronic devices.
• Walk on sidewalks or paths. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic as far to the left as safe.
• Cross streets at crosswalks or intersections, looking left-right-left before crossing. Make eye contact with drivers before proceeding.
Bike Riders
• Practice the bike route to and from school with a parent or adult.
• Remain alert to other vehicles and avoid distractions from electronic devices.
• Always wear a properly fitted helmet with a securely fastened chin strap.
• Ride in the same direction as traffic, in a single file. Stay in bike lanes whenever possible.
• Understand and follow traffic signs and signals. Come to a complete stop before crossing a street, follow the direction of any crossing guards, and walk bikes across the street.
School Bus Riders should play it SAFE
• Stay 6 to 10 feet (about three giant steps) away from the curb.
• Always wait for the bus to come to a complete stop and for the bus driver to signal boarding.
• Face forward after getting seated on the bus.
• Exit the bus after it stops, looking left-right-left for vehicles before crossing a street.
Drivers
• Always maintain focus and avoid distracted driving.
• Pay attention to school bus lights and stop arms indicating that drivers should slow down or stop.
• Follow traffic laws pertaining to traveling on roadways with school buses.
• Make eye contact with children who are crossing the street to acknowledge that you are stopped for them.
• Be alert and obey school zone speed limits.
• Follow any school-specific procedures for student parking, drop-off and pick-up.
With everyone’s participation in these simple safety efforts, we look forward to a safe school year ahead!
Tim Geer is the chief of the Bradenton Fire Department.