The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and their Community Traffic Safety Team (CTST) partners remind motorists to take extra traffic safety precautions as students head back to school. The beginning of the school year is a time when children are at increased risk of transportation-related injuries from pedestrian, bicycle, school bus and motor vehicle crashes. FDOT offers the following tips for making back to school commutes safer for motorists and students.
 
Tips for Motorists

• Slow down and obey all traffic laws and speed limits.
• Be alert for reduced speed limits in designated School Speed Zones.
• Watch for school buses. Red flashing lights and an extended stop arm indicate the school bus is  stopping to load or unload children. Know and follow the state law that requires you to stop. See info on this link hsmv.state.fl.us/SafetyTips/SchoolBusSafety.htm
• Keep an eye out for children riding their bicycles or walking in the street, especially in areas that are without sidewalks.
• Be alert for children playing and gathering near bus stops and for those who may dart into the street without looking for traffic.
• When backing out of a driveway or leaving a garage, watch for children walking, biking or skateboarding to school.
• When driving in neighborhoods or school zones, watch for young people who may be in a hurry to get to school and may not be thinking about their safety.

• Always buckle up in the car, always wear a helmet when biking and always follow pedestrian safety rules. Do not text or talk on your cell phone while driving.
• Make sure children are properly buckled up in a weight-appropriate child safety seat in the back seat as it is the safest place for young people.
• If you ride a school bus, learn and practice the safety rules for waiting at the bus stop, getting on and off the bus, and riding the bus. Never wait for the school bus in the roadway.
• If you walk to school, learn and practice the safety rules for pedestrians. It’s extremely important for you to use the sidewalk when available, look left-right-left when crossing the road, and always walk facing traffic.
• Always cross at crosswalks, obey all traffic signs, traffic lights and crossing guard instructions.