With many children returning to school this month, the Texas Department of Transportation released tips to keep kids and drivers safe when commuting near schools.
As part of the “Be Safe. Drive Smart.” campaign. TxDOT provides recommendations to both drivers and children who walk to and from school.
Drivers should stop for flashing red lights or a stop sign on a school bus, regardless of which way they are driving. First-offense violations can lead to a $1,250 fine.
TxDOT also encourages drivers to put their phones away and not drive too closely behind another vehicle. Traffic fines usually double in school zones.
Kids walking around school should always use sidewalks and crosswalks whenever they are available. TxDOT says children should always obey the crossing guards and never assume that a driver sees them.
There were 765 traffic crashes in Texas school zones in 2018, which left one dead and 15 seriously injured, according to TxDOT. Accidents in Dallas accounted for 129 of those crashes and four of the serious injuries. Forty of the school zone accidents occurred in Fort Worth.
Some of the common causes for the crashes include failure to control speed and driver inattention.
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Visit TxDOT’s website for more information about the campaign.
