WG Safety shares back-to-school tips

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Sandra Marrero
  • 23d Wing Public Affairs
Moody Air Force Base, Ga. --  Book bags, pencils, and notebooks fly off the shelves as Moody students get back to the hustle and bustle that comes with the new school year .

With school back in session, parents and children are back on the road and the 23d Wing Safety Office stresses safety as priority for all motorists.

"Drivers should have increased vigilance and situational awareness now, especially with kids walking to and from school and using bus stops," said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Curt Mitchell, 23d Wing Safety NCO in charge of ground safety. "Motorists should have increased vigilance for school bus stop signs and be aware of the 25-mph speed limit at school zones."

Ultimately, those who don't safely share the road with students may lose their driving privileges.

"A conviction for unlawful passing of a school bus carries six driver's license points for all motorists," said Gregory Dozier, Georgia Department of Driver Services commissioner. "Additionally, drivers under age 21 are subject to a license suspension of at least six months if found guilty of any traffic offense that incurs four or more points."

Not only do drivers have a responsibility to keep the roads safe for children, but parents and students can take additional measures to help prevent accidents.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Brittany Yindra, 23d Wing NCO in charge of mishap investigation and publicity gave several recommendations for students and drivers.

· Children waiting for the bus should stay away from the road until it arrives, then wait for the driver to tell him or her to board.

· Students should look out for vehicles when exiting the bus and take five giant steps before crossing.
· Those who walk to or from school should walk on the sidewalk and use crosswalks, even if they're in an inconvenient location.

· Students should look left, right and then left again before crossing any road to make sure that there are no cars coming and wait for stopped drivers to signal it's safe to cross.

· Drivers are cautioned to put smaller children in the back seat. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association, children who ride back in the front are 40 percent more likely to be injured during a collision.

· Pedestrians under of 10 should be accompanied by an adult or young adult.

· Children should avoid dark clothing in order to me more visible to drivers during hours of darkness.

Taking just a few precautions and obeying laws can make the difference between life and death for a child. For more information about traffic laws about school bus safety, visit the Georgia Department of Driver Services (DDS) website at www.dds.ga.gov or the Air Force Safety Center website at http://www.afsec.af.mil/criticaldaysofsummer/index.asp.