Back-to-school season is here, and for families across Arizona, that means getting back into the morning routine. Kids are heading out the door, school buses are making their rounds and parents are navigating busy drop-off lines, all while the rest of us are trying to get where we need to go.
With students back in school, children are once again walking through neighborhoods, crossing busy streets, riding bikes and getting on and off school buses. Many are young. Some are distracted. And they don’t always do what drivers expect them to do.
That puts a little more responsibility on all of us behind the wheel.
School zones are an obvious place to slow down, but they aren’t the only place to be more watchful. Children may be walking or biking several blocks from school, crossing neighborhood streets or hurrying to catch a bus. Drivers should be especially careful around crosswalks, intersections and residential areas during the morning and afternoon hours.
School buses deserve extra attention, too. Give them plenty of room and be prepared for frequent stops. When a bus is picking up or dropping off students, assume there may be a child nearby who you can’t immediately see.
And then there’s the distraction most of us carry everywhere: our phones. A text, an email or a notification can wait. That’s true anywhere, but especially in a school zone. Around schools and neighborhoods, a few seconds of looking away is simply too long.
At O’Steen MacLeod Combs, we’ve seen how quickly an ordinary drive can turn into something no family expected. It’s one reason we believe the simple reminders matter, especially when kids are involved.
So as students across Arizona head back to school, give yourself a little extra time. Slow down around schools and neighborhoods, put the distractions away and keep an eye out for the unexpected.
Here’s to a safe school year for Arizona students, families and everyone sharing the road with them.