With many school districts across Georgia, including in the metro Atlanta region, beginning in-person learning over the next few weeks, it is important for schools, students and parents to keep essential safety tips in mind.
Most school districts across Georgia have announced that they will begin in-person learning soon, and some school districts have actually already begun welcoming students back to school.
If you are a parent, you should be aware of some essential safety precautions. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is asking parents to take extra care while picking up and dropping their children to school. Look out for child pedestrians around the school. Look out school buses that may be very busy in the school zone. Avoid speeding within a school zone. Stick to safe speed limits in these areas and be mindful of the reduced speed limits during school hours. Be additionally careful when you are around a crosswalk. Do not block pedestrians near a crosswalk or force them to walk around your car. Look out for crossing guards or school patrol officers waiting for you to stop.
The National Safety Council is calling on all motorists to look out for school buses this fall. If you are driving behind a school bus, make sure that you leave plenty of stopping distance between your vehicle and the school bus in front of you. Remember that a bus takes a much longer time to come to a complete stop after the driver applies the brakes. Never pass by a school bus that is stopped. Georgia laws make it illegal for motorists to do so. Look for the lights of the school bus. If the yellow or red lights are flashing, you must stop. Give school children plenty of space to get off or get on the school bus and exit the area safety.
Avoid using your cell phone for talking or texting in a school zone. Distraction can be devastating in a school zone. Taking your eyes off the road even for a few seconds could be sufficient to cause an accident. Earlier studies have shown that if you take your eyes off the road for even 4 seconds while driving, you could travel the length of an entire football field before you focus your eyes back on the road again.
If your child takes the school bus, make sure that he or she is aware of all the rules of school bus safety. If your child bicycles to school, make sure that he or she is wearing a well- fitted, certified bicycle safety helmet.
The Atlanta car accident lawyers at the Katz Personal Injury Lawyers represent persons who have suffered injuries as a result of car accidents in the metro Atlanta region and across Georgia. If you or a loved one have suffered injuries in a car accident due to another’s negligence, talk to an attorney at our firm and discuss whether you have legal rights to a claim for compensation. You might qualify for damages that include medical costs, lost income, diminished earning capacity, pain and suffering and other types of damages. Talk to a lawyer at our firm and discuss your claim.