Stay alert with school back in session

As the 2017-18 school year gets into full swing this month, the Maricopa Police Department and the various schools want to help ensure students make it to their intended destinations and that they do so safely.[quote_box_right]MPD back-to-school safety tips from MPD

When Dropping Off:
• Don’t park alongside another parked vehicle it blocks visibility
• Don’t load or unload children across the street from their school
• If possible, carpool to reduce the number of vehicles at the school

Sharing the Road with Young Pedestrians:
• Don’t block crosswalks when stopped at red lights or while waiting to make a
turn. This often forces pedestrians to walk around the vehicle and enter the path
of traffic
• Always yield to pedestrians at crosswalks and intersections, especially when
flashers are blinking in a school zone
• Always stop for crossing guards and patrol officers
• Never pass a vehicle stopped for pedestrians

Sharing the Road with School Buses:
• If the yellow or red lights are flashing and the stop arm is extended, traffic must
stop in all directions
• The area 10 feet around a school bus is the most dangerous for children; stop far
enough back to allow them space to safely enter and exit the bus[/quote_box_right]

To help with this, the MPD has issued a bulletin addressing the biggest issues that plague the first days of school. Specifically, the MPD warns of traffic problems that arise from drop-offs and sharing the road with pedestrians and school buses.

Regarding those school buses, remember if lights are flashing and the stop arm is extended, all traffic must stop.

This year, the Maricopa Unified School District is attaching cameras to several stop arms in the hopes of deterring drivers from running those stop signs.

MUSD Superintendent Steve Chestnut said when someone runs the stop signs, the video evidence will be turned over to police.

Watch for school-zone speed limits, and do not pass vehicles stopped for pedestrians and crossing guards.

There is one more warning the MPD issued as part of their bulletin, a warning directed at those newest to the road – teen drivers:
1. Make sure you and all passengers are buckled in
2. Obey all speed limits
3. Always watch for kids getting on and off school buses and
4. Don’t use cell phones or electronic devices while driving.

MPD spokesperson Ricardo Alvarado further warns parents of younger students to review bus routes with their children to help them avoid getting lost in transit while becoming familiar with a new bus schedule.