East Hartford Police Department Offers Back-to-School Safety Tips
East Hartford, CT - The East Hartford Police Department would like to remind parents and students to use caution on our roadways. With school starting tomorrow, Wednesday, August 24th, there will be more students riding busses, and walkers going to and from school. Please pay extra attention to school buses as they stop for pick-ups and drop-offs. It is a state law to stop for any school bus with flashing red lights on any undivided roadway regardless if you are approaching or are behind a school bus. The fine for failing to stop for a school bus is $470.00.
It is also incredibly important for parents to have a conversation with their children regarding safety. Please remind your children to use caution getting on and off the school bus. Have them get used to looking both ways, and making sure the vehicles have stopped completely prior to boarding or exiting the bus. We also want to remind our walkers to make sure traffic has stopped in both directions prior to crossing.
According to the East Hartford Police Chief Scott Sansom there are a number of safety tips recommended by the National Highway Traffic Safety Association including;
PEDESTRIAN SAFETY
Safety Starts at the Bus Stop
- Your child should arrive at the bus stop at least five minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive. Visit the bus stop and show your child where to wait for the bus: at least three giant steps (six feet) away from the curb. Remind your child that the bus stop is not a place to run or play.
- Get On and Off Safely
- When the school bus arrives, your child should wait until the bus comes to a complete stop, the door opens, and the driver says it’s okay before approaching the bus door. Your child should use the handrails to avoid falling.
Use Caution Around the Bus
- Your child should never walk behind a school bus. If your child must cross the street in front of the bus, tell them to walk on a sidewalk or along the side of the street to a place at least five giant steps (10 feet) in front of the bus before crossing.
- Your child should also make eye contact with the bus driver before crossing to make sure the driver can see them. If your child drops something near the school bus, like a ball or book, the safest thing is for your child to tell the bus driver right away. Your child should not try to pick up the item, because the driver might not be able to see them.
For Drivers
- Make school bus transportation safer for everyone by following these practices:
- When backing out of a driveway or leaving a garage, watch out for children walking or bicycling to school.
- When driving in neighborhoods with school zones, watch out for young people who may be thinking about getting to school, but may not be thinking of getting there safely.
- Slow down. Watch for children walking in the street, especially if there are no sidewalks in neighborhood.
- Watch for children playing and congregating near bus stops.
- Be alert. Children arriving late for the bus may dart into the street without looking for traffic.
- Learn and obey the school bus laws in your state, as well as the "flashing signal light system" that school bus drivers use to alert motorists of pending actions:
- Yellow flashing lights indicate the bus is preparing to stop to load or unload children. Motorists should slow down and prepare to stop their vehicles.
- Red flashing lights and extended stop arms indicate the bus has stopped and children are getting on or off. Motorists must stop their cars and wait until the red lights stop flashing, the extended stop-arm is withdrawn, and the bus begins moving before they can start driving.
Over the next couple of weeks East Hartford Police Officers will be stepping up enforcement in school zones and bus routes to ensure that the motoring public is obeying traffic laws so our children can stay safe. In case of an emergency, call 911.