WORTHINGTON -- It is just around the corner -- that special day some parents have been dreaming about all summer.
Yep, the first day of school is almost here. While parents dance with glee, they also need to remember this means those kids are out on the streets, heading for bus stops or walking to school. Drivers need to be alert for students who walk to and from school and of buses stopping frequently.
"I'd like to see drivers treat the first few weeks of school like they treat the first few weeks of winter," said Worthington Police Department School Resource Officer Bob Fritz. "You need to get used to it."
His advice to drivers is to slow down, take their time and be aware of crosswalks, buses and bus stops.
"As soon as you see the yellow lights come on the bus, proceed with caution," he added. "And watch for that arm to come out."
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Children don't judge the speed a car is traveling or realize how much time it takes a vehicle to stop, Fritz said. Kids tend to focus on one thing at a time, he added, so drivers should be extra cautious when they see children waiting to cross a street.
"One-third of 5- to 9-year-old kids killed by motor vehicles are pedestrians," Fritz stated. "That is due to running into streets, not seeing vehicles."
According to studies by AAA, more than one-third of motorists in school zones or neighborhoods just "roll through" intersections with a stop sign.
Fritz said parents should remind their children about being safe, whether they walk to school, ride a bike, moped or bus, or get dropped off.
For the ones riding a bike, moped or walking, Fritz believes traveling to school by themselves is a step of independence for the student. He suggests the parents of young children walk the route with them several times before school starts, so the child is familiar with the route and traffic patterns.
"Remind the kids to use crosswalks -- don't cross in the middle of the street or from behind parked cars," Fritz said. "And don't forget to look left, right and left again."
Fritz also suggests the parents of children who wait at bus stops remind them of bus stop safety.
"I drive past different bus stops every day," he explained. "When I see horseplay, like kids pushing each other out into the street, I stop to talk to them about behaving at the bus stop."
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Fritz said the majority of the children at the elementary school are bused or dropped off, but parents need to remind those youths to always cross in front of vehicles and not behind.
On the bus, kids need to follow the same rules of behavior they would follow in school -- avoiding horseplay, respecting those around them, and that weapons, dangerous items and harassment will not be tolerated. Students should load and unload from the bus only when it is stopped and should remain seated until the bus stops.
Whether a child walks to school or to a bus stop, Fritz reminds parents to be aware of the weather.
"It is a long walk to school or to the bus stop without appropriate clothing," he said.
The busiest times of the day for students traveling to and from school are between the hours of 7 to 8:15 a.m. and 2:45 to 3:30 p.m.
