The 2023-2024 Montgomery Independent School District school year begins on Aug. 10. Please watch for the students and be aware of bus traffic as they return to school. Â
Here is some pertinent information courtesy of the National Safety Council:
Sharing the Road with Young Pedestrians
According to research by the National Safety Council, most of the children who lose their lives in bus-related incidents are 4 to 7 years old, and they’re walking. They are hit by the bus, or by a motorist illegally passing a stopped bus. A few precautions go a long way toward keeping children safe:
•  Don’t block the crosswalk when stopped at a red light or waiting to make a turn, forcing pedestrians to go around you; this could put them in the path of moving traffic
•  In a school zone when flashers are blinking, stop and yield to pedestrians crossing the crosswalk or intersection
•  Always stop for a school patrol officer or crossing guard holding up a stop sign
•  Take extra care to look out for children in school zones, near playgrounds and parks, and in all residential areas
•  Don’t honk or rev your engine to scare a pedestrian, even if you have the right of way
•  Never pass a vehicle stopped for pedestrians
•  Always use extreme caution to avoid striking pedestrians wherever they may be, no matter who has the right of way
Sharing the Road with School Buses
If you’re driving behind a bus, allow a greater following distance than if you were driving behind a car. It will give you more time to stop once the yellow lights start flashing. It is illegal in all 50 states to pass a school bus that is stopped to load or unload children.
•  Never pass a bus from behind – or from either direction if you’re on an undivided road – if it is stopped to load or unload children
•  If the yellow or red lights are flashing and the stop arm is extended, traffic must stop
•  The area 10 feet around a school bus is the most dangerous for children; stop far enough back to allow them space to safely enter and exit the bus
•  Be alert; children often are unpredictable, and they tend to ignore hazards and take risks
For all involved – Please Drive Safely.
Karla Seidule – Send Walden news to karlaseidule@icloud.com
