School Is Back In Session: School Zone and School Bus Safety Tips
School is back in session and classes are underway all over the state of New Jersey. Children in preschool through high school are studying hard, practicing on sports teams, and spending time with friends. Many of these children rely on the school’s bus transportation to get them to and from school every day. There are important safety tips to remember as we share the road with school buses and as we approach school zones.
School buses
The rules for driving around school buses depend on the type of road you are traveling on.
If the road is a two-lane highway (or other type of road that is not divided by a physical barrier), drivers must come to a stop at least 25 feet from a school bus that has activated its red flashing lights. This rule applies to cars on both sides of the road. Drivers must remain stopped until the bus has turned its lights off.
If traveling on a divided highway, motorists must stop at least 25 feet away from a school bus that has activated its red flashing lights if they are on the same side of the road as the bus. Again, motorists must remain stopped until the bus has turned the red flashing lights off.
If drivers are on the opposite side of the road on a divided highway, they must travel at no more than 10 miles per hour if a school bus is picking up children or dropping them off.
Remember, school buses are required to make stops at certain points, such as at railroad tracks. If you are sharing the road with a school bus and are approaching a railroad crossing, be prepared to stop to avoid an accident.
As always, when you are sharing the road with a large vehicle, it is important to leave enough space between your vehicle and the school bus in case either of you comes to a sudden stop. Remember that school buses may have blind spots as you travel alongside them.
School zones
School zones may be in high traffic areas. Therefore, it is the responsibility of drivers in these areas to proceed with caution when approaching school zones. With the following safety tips in mind, schoolchildren throughout the state of New Jersey will remain safe.
First, parents should always drop their children off on the school side of the street. If it is not possible to do so, parents should park and walk their children to the front of the school, using crosswalks as needed.
It is critical to the safety of children going to school that other drivers follow the safety instructions that crossing guards provide. If drivers disregard crossing guards’ instructions, a tragic accident may occur.
Always slow down to the posted speed limit in school zones. A good practice is to slow down to this speed at any point a driver notices children walking in the area. Unless otherwise posted, the speed limit is 25 miles per hour in a school zone.
If you or your child have been involved in an accident, call our New Jersey accident attorneys today
At Lomurro Law, our New Jersey accident attorneys are experienced in all types of motor vehicle accident claims, including those involving school buses and school zones. We aggressively pursue all avenues of recovery so you obtain the maximum compensation you deserve. To schedule a free consultation with our firm, call 732-482-9285 or contact us online.