SACRAMENTO COUNTY, Calif. — As students head back to the classroom for the 2021-22 school year, school zones are going to see the most traffic since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.
The California Highway Patrol [CHP] says it is crucial this school year for everyone to remember the rules of the road. And with the increased traffic, comes an increased risk for tragic accidents.
“What we really want to be mindful of, is kids are kind of unpredictable," CHP officer Mike Harris said.
Harris added it’s not just drivers who have to remember to play it safe.
“You as the pedestrian need to be mindful of the vehicles that are traveling around you and even if you're in the right and the vehicle's in the wrong, you're still going to suffer worse consequences,” Harris said. “Pedestrians need to be that much more careful, that much more vigilant about what's going on around them and then our drivers just need to be extra cautious.”
Also important this back-to-school season is to remember what to do around school buses.
“The safest, easiest thing to do if you see a school bus with the stop sign or the lights flashing on it, stop your vehicle," Harris said. "That's the safest practice. Just be mindful that there's going to be kids getting in and off the school bus. Somebody might be late and running to the school bus, somebody might be trying to get off and go see their parents after their day at school, so the best, safest practice is to stop and that's the law.”
Finally, the main tip the Harris wants you to remember for this coming school year and beyond.
“Slow down, Slow down,” Harris said, “Speed kills.”
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