Part four in my short series on school safety. Since we're all heading back to school, or already have gone back I thought it might help to remind us as parents of the extras we can do to keep the kids safe. A lot of this reference information comes from the Florida Department of Education Office of School Transportation Management, Office of Safe Schools. Please review them with your children and have a happy beginning of school this year!
Tips for Parent Drivers and Teen Drivers Going to School
To reduce energy usage, pollution, and traffic congestion in neighborhoods, consider walking or biking with your children. If you need to drive, follow these safety tips:
- When picking up children in the afternoon, don't arrive too early and hinder the movement of traffic in the neighborhood around the school.
- Wait in a single line and leave room enough so an emergency response vehicle would be able to get through.
- Don't block driveways, mailboxes, disabled parking spaces, or fire hydrants, and don't park on lawns.
- Don't block access to the the view from side streets.
- Don't back out onto any street from the school parking lot or from a side street.
- Try to arrange your drop off/pick up time after the peak rush hour and use designated loading and unloading areas.
- Always heed signs and the directions of school and law enforcement officials.
- Always obey posted speed limits and other traffic laws.
- Act as you would want people to act if it were your neighborhood.
- Be patient and understand that walkers, bikers, and school buses are trying to exit the school too.
- Always ensure that you and your passengers buckle up.
- Never talk on a cell phone or engage in other distractions while driving.
Did you know that motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of death for 15 to 20 year olds in the USA? According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Commission, 7460 drivers ages 15-20 were involved in fatal crashes in 2005. Most of the fatalities involving young drivers are the young drivers themselves, then the passengers.
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I found this article very interesting concerning parents ability to help improve teen driving safety.
Parents of Teens Play Critical Role in Drivers Training
A leading proponent of teen driving safety says parents are the missing link to improving new driver safety and they need to understand that they are largely alone when it comes to teaching their children to drive. Corinne Fortenbacher, president of Rookie Driver.Net, says 32 states have little or no drivers’ education requirements and that places most of the responsibility on the parent.
For years, in an effort to reduce teen driver accidents, states nationwide have been trying to improve teen driving safety by implementing tougher reforms. Yet, government statistics show that over 1,000,000 teenagers are still involved in auto crashes every year.
Most states have implemented longer graduated drivers license programs that allow more time for parents to drive with their children during the learners permit phase. Supervised parent involvement with extended learning time proves to reduce exposure to high-risk situations, according to safety experts.
One of the most overlooked components in improving safety, states Fortenbacher, is simply identifying their car with a standardized “New Driver” magnet that alerts other drivers that there is a novice driver behind the wheel. “This allows experienced drivers to anticipate common new driver mistakes,” she adds.
Do kids want these symbols adorning their cars? “Probably not,” admits Fortenbacher. “Inexperience is the leading cause of teen driving accidents. We must increase awareness of new drivers, and it is a parents’ responsibility to insist that their child is taking advantage of every safety measure available.”
“The parent must take full charge – absolute authority when a teenager begins driving,” says Fortenbacher. “Today you are parents with a child. Do everything you can so you are not one of those families who has lost their child.”
Insurance company research reveals that parental enforcement enhances safe driving habits. It is important to have discussions on safe driving practices, written parent/teen driving contracts and an increased number of supervised driving hours. Advanced driving courses taught by professional instructors are also encouraged.
“Experience is only gained through practice,” explains Fortenbacher. “In order to minimize traffic related deaths and injuries, we must produce skilled drivers. This vital “road preparedness” ultimately falls on parents. No one can eliminate the chance of an accident, but we as parents can lower the odds,” she concludes.
Source: RookieDrver.Net
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