Stay Aware on the Road, Back to School Traffic Brings Potential Dangers to School Zones

Jack Eves: X101, always classic. Jack here in the studio, and joining me once again in the studio is Public Information Officer for Troop C of the New York State Police, Trooper Aga Tinker. Trooper Tinker, it’s always wonderful to see you, as usual. Earlier last week we spoke about the ongoing STOP-DWI campaign, but another thing motorists should keep an eye out for is the return of students going to school.

Aga Tinker: Pretty soon the kids are going to be out, and some of them are excited to go to school. Just take that extra caution to pay attention to the school buses, the kids that may be walkers, kids on bicycles, and let’s not forget your new drivers that may have just gotten their driver’s license over the summer and are thinking they’re all cool driving to school.

Jack Eves: Thinking they’re all cool driving to school. Schools start accepting students returning on Tuesday, September 8th—some schools even on Wednesday. It’s also getting a little bit darker in the morning—I hate to say it as fall is approaching—and we’ve had some of those foggy mornings and increased traffic throughout with school buses out, parents out, and, as you said, kids out. Especially kids walking to school; make sure to really keep an eye on those crosswalks around, too.

Aga Tinker: Just be on high alert. Put down the distractions. A lot of the schools do have the yellow flashing signs that let you know that it’s a school zone, but sometimes they’re not always working. The little ones, sometimes they just run right out; they get excited. So, if you see that there’s a school approaching, just pay a little bit of extra attention, just so that we don’t have any incidents in those zones.

Jack Eves: Because you definitely don’t want an incident for that. Especially as well, school buses are going to be making the rounds not only in the cities and towns, but on the country roads. Always keep an eye out for when that bus switches to its flashing yellow lights, and then to the red lights as it starts to board students going to school, and then later on in the afternoon, dropping kids off.

Aga Tinker: Those bus drivers, I’ve got to say, they are phenomenal at hitting every stop and making sure that the kids get on as safe as possible. They try to keep an eye out for the kids, but it’s your responsibility as a driver to pay attention. If those yellow lights turn on, please slow down, knowing the red lights are going to be coming up. Some of those kids might be excited and might start approaching the bus or crossing the street. So, please just pay attention to those lights and never, ever go around the red lights on the school bus when the stop sign is out. Those kids sometimes are walking right in front of a car and might not notice it. So, please pay attention.

Jack Eves: Pay attention. Obviously on two-lane roads, if the stop signs are out on a school bus, you must stop. But some motorists don’t realize that even on multi-lane roads with that center turn lane, everyone has to stop as well. It’s not just that side of the road.

Aga Tinker: Right, and you never know where the school bus might be picking the kid up. The kid might have to cross all those lanes. As a parent as well, please talk to your children and tell them to look both ways. Sometimes the bus drivers do try to pay attention and try to wave the kids on, but sometimes, especially the younger ones, they just want to get on the bus. Just talk to those kids, and then, same thing as drivers, just try to pay attention to the bus. If you can—my dad taught me this tip a long time ago—try to see if you can see feet underneath the bus, too, because that’ll let you know that somebody’s standing there and might cross.

Jack Eves: That’s a good way to keep an eye out as well. Obviously the convictions are steep as well. The first conviction can be a fine ranging between $250 to $400 and even up to 30 days in jail, depending on the conviction.

Aga Tinker: They definitely can be very high. You could potentially lose your license, and your insurance rates will skyrocket. So, better not to get one of those tickets.

Jack Eves: And the DMV recently updated their point system, so failure to stop for a school bus now is up to 8 points on your license. Essentially, two convictions of that and you lose your license right then and there.

Aga Tinker: It’s just one of those things where it’s not worth it.

Jack Eves: It’s only a couple of minutes that these buses are picking up and dropping kids off. It’s not like you’re going to be sitting there. Kids are pretty good, and the bus drivers have a busy schedule, so they’re going to make sure the kids get on, sit down safely, and then they’re off on their way. Honestly, it doesn’t take long to load and unload children.

Aga Tinker: And I have followed some of those buses before. With the school buses, especially from the Homer School District, they are strict on their schedule. They move. So they do want to get the kids on real quick and get them to school because they might have another route that they have to run. They have to stick to that time schedule.

Jack Eves: Time schedule and all that. It’s amazing to see that back to school is already here. Just keep an eye out for the school buses, especially for the walkers, and even kids taking their bikes out while they still can before the winter—I dare say it—is approaching. Another quick reminder you mentioned before we went on air, kids that are walking to school, if there’s not a designated sidewalk, have to walk facing traffic, and bicyclists ride their bikes with traffic.

Aga Tinker: You see it all the time; even adults do it. If you’re on a bicycle, you are to be with the flow of traffic. If you’re walking, you’re going to go the opposite way. If you’re walking with your bike, you’re also going the opposite way. If it’s possible to have bright clothing on just to let drivers know that you’re there, that might help, too.

Jack Eves: Every little bit will help, especially for safety on a busy roadway. Trooper Tinker, appreciate you coming in as usual from your busy schedule. Always great seeing you.

Aga Tinker: Always great to be here and just spread a little knowledge.

Jack Eves: Spread a little knowledge, and just use some extra caution as students prepare going back to school, starting on Tuesday, September 8th and Wednesday, September 9th. For X101, I’m Jack Eves.