It’s that time of year and kids will be returning to school. The Orleans County Sheriff’s Department wants to utilize this opportunity to express the importance of pedestrian and bicyclist safety on the roadways. The National Highway Safety Administration and the Federal Highway Administration designated pedestrian safety as their top priority and strive to raise awareness of the dangers on roadways. Parents are encouraged to speak to their children and relay the importance of being safe and alert while traveling to and from school. Here are some helpful tips for parents to teach and encourage their children to use with various types of transportation.
Walking: Always wear bright clothing when walking to be more visible to drivers. Always walk on the sidewalk. When no sidewalk is available, walk on the shoulder of the road towards oncoming traffic. Don’t allow children under 12 years of age to cross the street alone. Parents are always encouraged to walk with their children to and from school. Always use a crosswalk. Stop at the curb and look left-right-left before crossing. If a vehicle is parked near the crosswalk, stop at the edge of the vehicle and look left-right-left again before crossing. Continue looking left-right-left, as well as listening for traffic, until safely on the other side. Never assume a vehicle will stop. Always be a good role model and display safe habits.
Biking: Always wear a helmet. Ride in the same direction as traffic and follow traffic signs and signals. Stay in the bike lane whenever available. Use the sidewalk if needed, and watch for other pedestrians. Never use electronics while riding.
For more information regarding either walking or biking safety, please visit: http://pedbikeinfo.org/, https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/pedestrian-safety, or https://www.nhtsa.gov/pedestrian-safety/child-pedestrian-safety-curriculum.
Bus: Teach S.A.F.E. when your children use a school bus:
Stay five steps away from the curb.
Always wait for the bus driver to tell you when to board.
Face forward after finding a seat on the bus.
Exit the bus when it stops, look left-right-left, and take five steps away from the bus past the curb.
Driving: Have a safe driver. The driver shouldn’t move until everyone is buckled up. Use appropriate and required car seats or booster seats for younger passengers. Finally, remember “Heads up, phones down” when driving.
For car seat/booster seat information, please visit: http://dmv.vermont.gov/enforcement-and-safety/laws/child-passenger-safety or http://www.beseatsmart.org/. –– from the Orleans County Sheriff’s Department.
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