By Miramar Fire-Rescue Chief Robert E. Palmer
Can you believe it’s that time of year again?! The kids are headed back to school. Where has the summer gone? We here at Miramar Fire Rescue would like to share a few safety tips to remind everyone how to stay staff throughout the year.
After 10 weeks off for the summer, we all become lax to the idea of school zones, but it is essential that we remember why we have school zones to begin with. School zones are for everyone’s safety. The reduced speeds are to lower the instances of children and adult alike from being injured, sometimes fatally. We often see increased numbers of children being hit by cars during the beginning of every school year.
The combination of the excitement of the students to get back to class and see friends and teachers and the ease of drivers having 10 weeks with no school zones can be a deadly combination. Often children will bolt out between cars not paying attention to their surroundings when crossing the road. This also goes for children getting off buses as well. They often walk out into traffic without looking first.
The reduced speeds in school zones give drivers more opportunity to slow down or come to a complete stop with minimal notice. It is important that pedestrians and drivers always pay attention to their surroundings. In more recent years, cellphones have increased these incidents staggeringly. We need to educate our children to be situationally aware of everything going on around them. Other things to remember when walking is to use sidewalks whenever possible along with crosswalks when available. The crossing guards at schools are there to help reduce accidents and to minimize traffic hold-ups.
Some students ride bikes to school. It is important to always wear a properly fitting helmet. Also, when bike lanes are not available, bicycle riders should always ride in the same direction as traffic. Never use electronics while riding. Always pay attention to the traffic and listen to what is going on around you.
For the older students who may finally get to drive to school, it’s a new-found freedom. But with this new freedom comes added responsibility. Not only are their lives in their hands, but other lives as well. Teens are the largest age group reported as distracted at the time of a fatal crash. Once again cellphones are the culprit. There is a new law that states anyone seen texting while driving will be ticketed. That text message or scrolling through social media can wait! There are multiple apps available that can help you and your child put down that phone while driving.
Also, always remember to buckle up. It is true, seat belts do save lives! Remember safety is everyone’s responsibility. With a little caution and awareness, everyone can arrive safely to their destination.
For more information on back to school safety tips you can check out the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website at www.nhtsa.gov/back-school-safety.
- Miramar Fire Rescue is located at 14801 SW 27th Street, Miramar, FL 33027. For more information please call (954) 602-4802. For emergencies, please call 9-1-1. Also, check us out at Miramarfd.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.