CLEARLAKE, Calif. – As Labor Day has passed it is time to remember that children are back to school, and the Clearlake Police Department is urging the community to take precautions to make sure schoolchildren remain safe.
Clearlake Police's traffic officer, Mike Perreault, said that in the mornings and afternoons there will be an increase of children walking, riding bicycles, and going to and from school.
There also will be an increase in the volume of traffic due to school buses and parents transporting children to and from school, Perreault said.
Perreault said the following are important things to remember as the new school year moves forward in order to help ensure the safety of the community's children:
• Give yourself some extra time: With the increase in traffic, cyclist and pedestrian traffic, as well as those who now need to add taking the children to school to their schedule, give yourself some extra time in the morning. That way you are not in a rush and tempted to speed or put safety aside to get where you are going.
• The school zone speed limit is 25 miles per hour: When driving within 500 feet before and after a school while children are outside or crossing the street, the speed limit is 25 miles per hour unless otherwise posted. Also, if the school grounds have no fence and children are outside, never drive faster than 25 miles per hour. Some school zones may have speed limits as low as 15 miles per hour.
• School buses: The driver of any vehicle upon meeting or overtaking from either direction of a school bus, that is stopped for the purpose of loading or unloading any schoolchildren and displays a flashing red light signal and stop signal arm, visible from front or rear, shall bring the vehicle to a stop immediately before passing the school bus and shall not proceed past the school bus until the flashing red light signal and stop signal arm, if equipped with a stop signal arm, cease operation.
Also, a vehicle driver approaching an intersection at which a school bus is stopped shall stop his/her vehicle at that intersection until the flashing red signals are no longer actuated.
• Pedestrians and crosswalks: Many of our schools have crosswalks and crossing guards in the roadways and intersections around our schools. The driver of a vehicle shall yield the right of way to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within any marked crosswalk.
• Bicycle helmets: In California, anyone under the age of 18 must wear a helmet when riding a bicycle on a street, bikeway or public bicycle path or trail. The law also requires anyone under 18 to wear a helmet when riding a scooter, skateboard or when using inline skates. So parents, please, make sure your children have and are wearing a helmet.
“Keeping our children safe is all of our responsibility,” said Perreault. “So please let's keep these reminders, rules of the road, and safety tips on our minds so we can have a safe, successful and happy school year.”
Police issue reminder on traffic rules aimed at keeping schoolchildren safe
- Lake County News reports
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