Pictured (L-R) Police Commissioner Dave Franklin, Deputy Chief Robert Del Muro, Chief of Police James Salerno,
Assistant Chief Jeffrey Morris, Police Commissioner Angela Lawlor Mullins
Do not pass: It is illegal to pass a school bus that is stopped to load or unload children.
Seeing yellow: School buses use yellow flashing lights to alert motorists that they are preparing to stop to load or unload.
Seeing red: Red flashing lights and an extended stop sign warn motorists that the bus is stopped and children are getting on or off it.
All stop: Traffic in both directions stop on undivided roadways when students are entering or exiting a school bus.
Stay behind: Traffic behind a school bus that is traveling in the same direction must stop.
Crosswalks: Do not block the crosswalk.
Distance: Stop your car far enough from the bus to allow children the necessary space to safely enter and exit the bus.
Never pass on right: Never pass a school bus on the right.
Look out: Take extra care to look out for children in school zones, residential areas, playgrounds and parks.
Slow down: Speed limits in school zones are reduced for a reason. A pedestrians truck by a vehicle traveling at 25 mph is nearly two-thirds less likely to be killed compared to a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling just 10 mph faster.
Come to a complete stop: Research shows that more than one-third of drivers roll through stop signs in school zones or neighborhoods. Always come to a complete stop, checking carefully for children on sidewalks and in crosswalks before proceeding.
Eliminate distractions: Research shows that taking your eyes off the road for just two seconds doubles your chances of crashing. And children can be quick, crossing the road unexpectedly or emerging suddenly between two parked cars. Reduce risk by not using your cell phone or eating while driving, for example.
Reverse responsibly: Every vehicle has blind spots. Check for children on the sidewalk, in the driveway and around your vehicle before slowly backing up. Teach your children to never play in, under or around vehicles.
Watch for bicycles: Children on bikes are often inexperienced, unsteady and unpredictable. Slow down and allow at least three feet of passing distance between your vehicle and a bicyclist. If your child rides a bicycle to school, require that he or she wear a properly fitted bicycle helmet on every ride. Find videos, expert advice and safety tips at – ShareTheRoad.AAA.com.
Talk to your teen: Car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in the United States, and nearly one in four fatal crashes involving teen drivers occur during the after-school hours of 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Get evidence-based guidance and tips at – TeenDriving.AAA.com