Pop Quiz! Quick Review for Back to School Safety
Schools in Marin will be starting up soon! Here’s a quick refresher course with tips on getting to and from schools safely, courtesy of the Safe Routes to Schools program.
Walk Safely
- Walk with a parent, other students or a buddy.
- Be alert. Look left, right and left again before crossing the street. At a four-way intersection, also look over your shoulder for cars that may be turning.
- Cross at corners or at a marked crosswalk. This is where drivers expect you.
- Don’t assume drivers see you! Use eye contact and hand signals to communicate before crossing.
Bike Safely
- Always wear your helmet and buckle it every time; it’s the law!
- To best protect your head, your helmet must t properly: snug and level on your head, just above your eyebrows.
- Be predictable. Follow the same rules of the road as drivers when riding your bike. This includes obeying ALL stop signs and tra c signals, as well as yielding to pedestrians.
- When riding on the street, ride on the right hand side of the road, in the same direction as tra c. Watch out for turning cars and cars coming out of driveways.
- Make eye contact and use hand signals to communicate with drivers and pedestrians.
Drive/Carpool Safely
- Slow down in school zones or when students are nearby. The safest speed may be below 25 mph; students may struggle to accurately judge speed or distance.
- Do not use your cell phone while driving, even hands-free.
- Yield to pedestrians and bicyclists crossing the street and always follow the directions of crossing guards.
- Make sure students enter and exit the vehicle on the side next to the sidewalk.
- Avoid making U-turns, double-parking, blocking crosswalks and other unsafe movements.
- Consider parking a few blocks away and walking your student the rest of the way.
- Stop on both sides of the street when encountering school buses with red flashing lights.
Safe Routes to Schools programs promote walking and biking to school to decrease traffic and pollution and increase the health of students and the community.
Whether you Walk, Bike, Carpool or Ride the Bus, remember to always:
- BE PREDICTABLE – follow the rules of the road.
- BE ALERT – Expect the unexpected.
- BE VISIBLE – The more other road users can see you, the safer you will be.
Note to all parents:
- Teach your student how to share the road safely.
- Help your student choose the best walking or cycling route – it may not be the same way you would drive in a car!
- Students who regularly practice safe walking and biking skills when young are more likely to make safer choices as teenagers.
- Obey adult crossing guards. They are there to help you cross congested intersections safely.
