Heading Back to School: Drive Carefully Insights from AAA By Our Town Gwinnett Staff
As 1.6 million children across Georgia begin heading back to school, AAA urges motorists to slow down and stay alert in neighborhoods and school zones. They also must be especially vigilant for pedestrians during before and after school hours. Children are particularly vulnerable during the afternoon hours following their school day. Over the last decade, nearly one-third of child pedestrian fatalities occurred between 3 and 6 p.m. “We are aware of the risk to children in and around school zones, which is why we developed the AAA’s School’s Open – Drive Carefully awareness campaign to help curb unsafe driving behavior near schools,” said Garrett Townsend, Georgia Public Affairs Director, AAA-The Auto Club Group. “If Georgia motorists slow down and stay alert, they can save lives.” The AAA School’s Open Drive Carefully awareness campaign was launched in 1946 in an effort to prevent school-related child pedestrian traffic crashes, helping kids live fulfilling, injury-free lives. AAA offers seven ways to keep kids safe this school year: 1. Slow down. Speed limits in school zones are reduced for a reason. A pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling 25 m.p.h. is nearly two-thirds less likely to be killed compared to a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling just 10 m.p.h. faster. A difference between 25 m.p.h. and 35 m.p.h. can save a life. 2. Eliminate distractions. Children often cross the road unexpectedly and may emerge suddenly between two parked cars. Research shows that taking your eyes off the road for just two seconds doubles your chances of crashing. 3. Reverse responsibly. Every vehicle has blind spots. Check for children on the sidewalk, driveway, and around your vehicle before slowly backing up. Teach your children to never play in, under, or around vehicles – even those that are parked. 4. Talk to your teen. Car crashes are one of the leading causes of death for teens in the United States, and more than one-quarter of fatal crashes involving teen drivers occur during the after-school hours of 3 to 7 p.m. 5. Come to a complete stop. Research shows that more than onethird of drivers roll through stop signs in school zones or neighbor-
hoods. Always come to a complete stop, checking carefully for children on sidewalks and in crosswalks before proceeding. 6. Watch for bicycles. Children on bicycles are often inexperienced, unsteady, and unpredictable. Slow down and allow at least three feet of passing distance between your vehicle and the bicycle. If your child rides a bicycle to school, require that he or she wears a properly fitted bicycle helmet on every ride. 7. Look for AAA School Safety Patrollers. Nationwide, more than 679,000 AAA School Safety Patrollers stand guard at over 35,000 schools. When you see one, a school zone is likely nearby. “If parents and other driver’s follow these simple rules when driving in and around school zones, countless children can avoid injury and death,” says Townsend. “It’s up to us to help all drivers become more aware of the risks of driving around our schools.” More information at https://member.acg.aaa.com/mi/driving-safety/ aaa-school-safety-patrol.html
678-469-1599 | scottpressurewash@gmail.com 678-469-1599 | scottpressurewash@gmail.com August 2022 Our Town Gwinnett
PAGE 15
