Hard to believe, but a new school year begins Wednesday, Aug. 28, and soon the streets will be clogged with cars, bikes, and kids at the start and end of each school day.
Last year the town upgraded the much-used crossing between Hildreth Elementary School and the path to the town library, just in time for the opening. The town also upgraded the crossing between the Immaculate Heart of Mary School in Still River and the Saint Benedict buildings across the road.
Still, no amount of improvement to road safety can make up for irresponsible driving. Mass. Ave. is a heavily used road, especially in the morning, as is the stretch of Still River Road that passes the Immaculate Heart of Mary School.
In its annual “School’s Open; Drive Carefully” campaign, AAA Northeast encourages drivers to use extra caution and allow more time in their commutes as young pedestrians and cyclists make their way to and from school, and fleets of school buses take to the roadways each day.
The association offers the following advice:
• Watch for pedestrians who are stepping into traffic from between parked vehicles or crossing in locations not marked by a crosswalk. Even in these situations, drivers must yield to pedestrians.
• If red lights are flashing on a school bus, and a stop arm is extended, motorists approaching from either direction must come to a full stop and remain stopped until the bus lights no longer flash. This requirement applies to public highways, private roads, and in parking lots.
“AAA’s ‘School’s Open; Drive Carefully’ campaign dates back to 1946, but with traffic fatalities on the rise, this message is critical,” said Mark Schieldrop, public affairs specialist at AAA Northeast.
AAA’s 2023 annual Traffic Safety Culture Index survey shows concerning driving behaviors that put pedestrians and cyclists at risk, especially children.
When asked about their personal driving behaviors within 30 days prior to the survey, more than a quarter of drivers (27%) reported having sent a text or email while driving. More drivers reported they drove while holding and talking on a phone (38%) or drove while reading a text or email (37%). The majority of drivers (59%) indicated they used a hands-free technology to talk, text, or email while driving.
The message is clear. For the safety of our children, slow down, especially when you enter a school zone. And put down that phone.
