MENDOCINO CO., 8/20/18 — School is starting and the Mendocino County Office of Education requests everyone take some extra caution out there to keep students safe.
Here’s a press release from the Mendocino County Office of Education:
MCOE Reminds Drivers to Watch for Students as School Starts
Ukiah, CA— With the new school year about to start, incoming Mendocino County Superintendent of Schools Michelle Hutchins reminds drivers to watch out for student pedestrians, crossing guards, school buses, and young drivers headed to and from school. “With school back in session, we all need to slow down and pay attention in the morning before school starts, and in the afternoon, when school lets out. If you drive your students to school, be sure to review your school’s drop-off and pick-up procedures and remember that everyone is in a hurry to be on time. Please plan extra time as everyone gets used to the new school routine,” she said.
Legally, drivers in both directions are required to stop when a school bus activates its stop arm and flashes its lights. In our cities, crossing guards help keep students safe, but in the rural parts of the county, students often walk to and from bus stops without adult supervision. Hutchins encourages drivers to watch out for students and crossing guards, and asks parents to remind their students to pay attention to traffic as they walk along county roadways.
“When students listen to music using headphones or earbuds, they can’t hear oncoming traffic. And when they walk and text without watching where they’re going, it can have terrible consequences,” Hutchins said. She also reminds more experienced drivers that teen drivers can be distracted by the excitement of school starting and seeing their friends. “Let’s keep ourselves and our students safe by slowing down and expecting the unexpected,” she said.
