Back-to-School Safety: Essential Tips for Drivers and Pedestrians as Lamar CISD and Katy ISD Start The New School Year
As the new school year approaches, with Lamar Consolidated ISD starting on Monday, August 12, and Katy ISD following on Wednesday, August 14, it's essential to prioritize safety for both pedestrians and drivers. With school buses back on the roads and children excitedly heading to school, it's a critical time for everyone to be vigilant.
According to TxDOT, in 2023, there were 748 traffic crashes in Texas school zones, resulting in one death and 14 serious injuries. The most common crash causes were speeding, distracted driving and failure to yield the right of way. There were also 11 people killed and 63 seriously injured last year in the 2,523 crashes involving Texas school buses. Driver inattention and speed were also the top contributing factors in those crashes.
Please take a moment to review these important safety tips and reminders from the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office, TxDOT and DPS to ensure a safe environment for students, motorists, and pedestrians alike, helping to make the transition into the new school year smooth and secure.
For Drivers
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Exercise Caution: Reduce your speed, maintain vigilant awareness, and prepare to come to a complete stop when approaching a crosswalk.
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Stay Alert: Pay close attention to your surroundings, adhere to all traffic signs and signals, and actively avoid distractions while driving. TxDOT reminds drivers that using any handheld device in your vehicle in a school zone is illegal, and drivers cannot send or receive electronic messages while driving in Texas.
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Yield to Pedestrians: Always prioritize the safety of pedestrians in crosswalks by yielding the right-of-way and refrain from passing a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk.
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Know the Law: Texas drivers should also be aware of the Lisa Torry Smith Act, which amended section 544.007 of the Texas Transportation Code. It requires drivers to stop and yield the right of way to pedestrians or cyclists lawfully in the intersection or an adjacent crosswalk. An offense under the Lisa Torry Smith Act is a Class A misdemeanor, except in the case that the pedestrian or cyclist suffers serious bodily injury. In that event, the offense is a state jail felony.
For Pedestrians
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Stop and Look: Before entering a crosswalk, pause and carefully scan for approaching vehicles. Make sure it's safe to cross.
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Stay Alert: When walking put away electronics that take your eyes and ears off the road. Citizens for Road Safety, a nonprofit formed to raise awareness of and implement the Lisa Torry Smith Act, reminds pedestrians to make eye contact with drivers before crossing the street, and never assume a driver sees you.
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Wear Safety Gear: TxDOT reminds children to always wear a helmet when riding a bicycle or scooter.
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Assist Children: If you have younger children with you, guide them safely through the crosswalks, ensuring they understand the importance of looking out for vehicles.
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Use Sidewalks: TxDOT reminds children to use sidewalks. If there’s not one, it's best to walk on the left side of the street facing traffic. Always stand as far back from the curb as possible when you are waiting for a bus.
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Ride Safe: TxDOT reminds children to wait until the bus has come to a complete stop and watch for the driver to signal that it’s safe to board. Listen to the bus driver and remain seated to avoid distracting the driver. When exiting the bus, cross only in front of the bus, never behind it.
In addition to these road safety measures, the Texas Department of Public Safety has issued safety tips for parents and guardians to help keep their students safe, aware and alert as we approach the new school year.
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Ensure the school has up-to-date emergency contact information, including phone numbers for parents, guardians and alternate contacts.
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Keep a current, up-to-date picture of your child throughout the school year on your mobile device that shows identifying information. In the event of an emergency, law enforcement can quickly distribute an updated photograph of your child.
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Talk to your child about what to do in case of emergencies, such as fire drills, active shooter drills, tornado drills or other lockdowns.
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Remind your child to never talk to strangers or accept rides from anyone not previously approved by you.
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Familiarize yourself and your child with their school’s safety policies and procedures.
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Ensure your child knows which adults at school (teachers, counselors, etc.) they can go to if they need help.
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Continue to cultivate conversations throughout the school year on practicing smart safety at school.
As with every new school year, there will be a number of parents and guardians embarking on the organized chaos that ensues during drop off and pick up. Let's all extend patience and understanding during this transition. Share this article on your social media platforms to pass this important information along to your friends, family and neighbors. Together, we can all do our part to ensure a smooth, safe start to the school year for the youth in our communities.
Tiffany Krenek has been on the My Neighborhood News team since August 2021. She is passionate about curating and sharing content that enriches the lives of our readers in a personal, meaningful way. A loving mother and wife, Tiffany and her family live in the West Houston/Cypress region.
