Safety Reminder from Annapolis Police and County Schools
Monday August 23th Marks the Beginning of New School Year
Anne Arundel County Schools begin the new school year on Monday, August 23, 2010. Parents, students and drivers should take extra precautions during this period.
For Drivers
Maryland law requires drivers to stop for school buses when the driver uses the flashing red lights. Drivers may not be able to see everyone who got off of the bus so proceed slowly until you are clear of the bus and pedestrians. The law also requires drivers to yield (stop) for pedestrians who are in a crosswalk. Failure to obey these laws may result in a citation but may also lead to an injury which could have been prevented.
For Parents
If your child is riding to school in a bus or car please be sure to have him or her use a seatbelt. (see note below) If using a car, all children under 13 years of age should ride in the rear seat. If you must drive more children than can fit in the rear seat (when carpooling, for example), move the front-seat passenger’s seat as far back as possible and have the child ride in a booster seat if the seat belts do not fit properly without it.
If your child is riding a bike to school, your child should always wear a bicycle helmet, ride in the same direction as auto traffic, use appropriate hand signals and respect traffic lights and stop signs. Make sure to educate your child about the rules of the road and make them wear bright colors to increase visibility.
Finally, for those students who are walking to school, parents should walk the route to make sure your child’s walk is a safe route with well-trained adult crossing guards at every intersection. Parents should be realistic about your child’s pedestrian skills. Because small children are impulsive and less cautious around traffic, carefully consider whether or not your child is ready to walk to school without adult supervision. Children should wear bright colored clothing to make your child more visible to drivers. And finally, in neighborhoods with higher levels of traffic, consider starting a “walking school bus,” in which an adult accompanies a group of neighborhood children walking to school.
We can have a safe school year if we follow these simple rules.