The inner tubes and sunscreen are heading back to the garage and the backpacks and notebooks are coming back out.
For students in and around Salt Lake City, back to school season is starting again this August. What comes with the new school year is added traffic on the roads and the potential of getting in an auto accident. Taking a quick minute to refresh your mind on how to drop off and pick up your children will help you from having to call a lawyer and getting in an auto accident.
When You Drop Off or Pick Up Your Kids
If your child’s school has a specific drop off procedure, be sure to visit their website or call their office to find out what it is. According to the National Safe Routes to School Program, more children are hit by a car near a school than any other location.
When you’re dropping them off, make sure you don’t double park. Double parking can block other drivers from seeing children walk across the street. Also be sure to park as close as you can to the school, so your children don’t have to cross a street in the first place. If you live in a neighborhood with other families, think about starting a carpool system so there are less cars on the road and at the school.
Follow The Rules of a Bus When Driving
Research from the National Safety Council reported that children between the ages of 4 to 7 were killed by a school bus related incident. The wrongful death accidents happened when a bus hit a child or when a motorist illegally passed a stopped bus.
Avoid being a grieving parent who has to call a lawyer by teaching your children to always look both ways before crossing a street, especially when getting off a school bus. Make sure to always make a full stop if you’re behind a school bus that’s stopped. Even if a bus driver doesn’t pull out his stop sign, it’s still illegal to pass a bus if it’s stopped. Don’t run the risk of hitting a child and calling a lawyer just to pass a bus.
