Keeping Our Children Safe on Their Way to and from School

School Bus - 3

Causing an accident that results in an injury to a child is undoubtedly one of the most tragic events in which a person could be involved. Fortunately, accidents involving children can be prevented, and there are things that all drivers can do to avoid these types of incidents.

As the back-to-school season kicks into gear, the risk of a child-related accident increases. The National Safety Council reports that those children who are most likely to lose their lives in bus-related incidents are those ages four to seven, and that these fatal incidents usually occur when the child is walking and is struck by a bus or another motorist.

Those in this age category are not the only ones who are at risk of serious or fatal injuries, however. Children of all ages, including teenagers, may be involved in tragic motor vehicle accidents as they make their way to and from school. If you are a motorist in Alabama, understanding your duty to operate your vehicle safely and employing best practices for keeping our children safe is critical.

How to Keep Our Children Safe on Their Way to and from School

Even if you do everything right, accidents can happen. Let Mr. Nix help you with a free consultation today to determine the at-fault party who is the negligent one responsible for compensation.

Keeping our children safe as they walk, bike, and take the bus to and from school is surely important to you. As a motorist, there are multiple things that you can do to effectively contribute to this goal.

  • Limit distracted driving, particularly in the AM and PM. Kids are commuting to and from school primarily in the morning hours and the afternoon hours, although sometimes the evening hours are a prime travel time, too, especially for kids who participate in extracurriculars and after-school programs. Distracted driving is never a wise idea, but during the AM and PM hours that children are traveling to and from school, limiting distracted driving is of monumental importance. As you commute, put your cellphone away and commit to not fiddling with the radio, and make sure you’re not distracted by any passengers–including your own children–within your vehicle.
  • Slow down in school zones and watch out for kids who are walking to and from school. Slowing down in school zones isn’t only safe, but an act that is required under the law. However, even if you are not in a school zone, remember that many kids walk or bike to and from school, which means that they may be present outside of a school zone. Keep an eye out for kids on the sidewalk and in the roads, and remember that children can be unpredictable and do not always look both ways before entering a roadway.
    Follow the posted speed limit signs but be prepared to slow down and stop when behind a school bus or church bus. You may be late and rushed, but this is not the time to try and make up for lost minutes. Allow plenty of time during the morning rush hour, including time for traffic and to stop behind a school bus. The absolute worse thing you can do is try and drive around traffic which is slowed due to the presence of the school bus.
  • Pay attention to bicyclists. Many children get to school and back home again by riding a bicycle. While the sidewalk is the safest place for children bicyclists, kids may choose to ride in the road. When lighting is poor–especially as the days become shorter and the sun is later to rise in the morning–looking for bicyclists on the roads and at crossings is critical.
  • Pay attention to kids loading and unloading buses and waiting at the bus stop. The American School Bus Council estimates that about 25 million children ride the school bus each day. This means that the bus stop and loading and unloading zones are places where the potential for an accident is high. Be sure to always follow the law as it pertains to driving around and stopping for school buses. The law in Alabama says you must stop if you are traveling in the same direction as the school bus or you are traveling in the opposite direction of the school bus and there is no median to separate the roadways and the school bus is loading or unloading traffic, has its ‘stop’ arm extended, and/or has its flashing lights on. Even if you do not actually see a kid, stop and wait until you are 100 percent positive that the coast is clear.
    Remember that some school children are heading for the bus stop during the early morning hours when it is still dark. Since most children do not wear reflective clothing, it is up to the motorist to be the responsible party and assume children are in the vicinity when you see a school bus. Some of these children are very young and may not show the same caution as an older child. That means its incumbent on you to be the responsible party.
  • Exercise caution when driving around school buses. Children aren’t only injured when traveling by foot, bike, or when loading or unloading school buses; they can be injured while acting as passengers within a school bus, too. Always slow your speed around school buses, allow the bus plenty of stopping and passing room, never drive in a school bus driver’s blind spots, and never pass a school bus on the right-hand side.

Children Have a Right to Safety When Traveling to and from School

The children in our community have a right to safety when traveling to and from school – take action to do your part to prevent child-related accidents and injuries!

If your child has been injured in an accident involving a negligent motorist, Chip Nix, Attorney at Law, can help. Call our Montgomery lawyer today for a free consultation at 334-279-7770 or please stop by our law office for a case review.

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