As summer draws to a close, the next couple of weeks are when most South Dakota students return to schools across the state. AAA South Dakota warns drivers to be extra vigilant, especially during the before-and after- school hours.
This time of year is particularly dangerous due to the combination of young inexperienced drivers, school buses, and student pedestrians and bicyclists, all sharing the road.
Nearly one-fifth of traffic fatalities of children below the age of 15 are pedestrians, with more school-age pedestrians killed between the hours of 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. than any other time of day.
To keep school kids safe, AAA South Dakota recommends the following safety tips:
• Slow down. Speed limits in school zones are reduced for a reason.
According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling at 25 m.p.h. is nearly two-thirds less likely to be killed compared to a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling just 10 m.p.h. faster.
• Ditchthedistractions.Childrenoftencrosstheroadunexpectedly and may emerge suddenly between two parked cars. Put down the phone and focus on driving safely.
• Brake for buses. It may be tempting to drive around a stopped school bus, but not only is it dangerous, it’s against the law, no matter from which direction you’re approaching the stopped bus.
• Reverse responsibly. Teach your children to never play in, under or around vehicles—even those that are parked.
• Talk with your teen. Car crashes are one of the leading causes of death for teens in the United States, and more than one in four fatal crashes involving teen drivers occur during the afterschool hours of 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Come to a complete stop. Research shows that more than one-third of drivers roll through stop signs in school zones or neighborhoods. Slow down and allow at least three feet of passing distance between your vehicle and a bicycle.