Curb back-to-school tragedies with AAA South Dakota’ s seven life-saving tips
SIOUX FALLS, SD – Aug. 8, 2022 – As summer draws to a close, the next couple of weeks are when most South Dakota students return to schools across the state. AAA South Dakota warns drivers to be extra vigilant, especially during the before- and after-school hours.
This time of year is particularly dangerous due to the combination of young inexperienced drivers, school buses, and student pedestrians and bicyclists, all sharing the road. Through its annual ‘School’s Open – Drive Carefully’ public awareness campaign, AAA aims to help reduce fatalities and injuries among child pedestrians and others during busy school commutes.
“It’s that time when drivers need to avoid distractions, and be much more aware and careful, as students head back to schools,” said Shawn Steward, AAA South Dakota spokesman. “Kids will be walking and biking to school, getting on and off school buses and in and out of cars as parents drop them off and pick them up. All of these situations create extra hazards for drivers as well as the student pedestrians and bicyclists. In addition, many new, inexperienced teen drivers will be driving to school for the first time, creating additional concerns for traffic safety.”
Nearly one-fifth of traffic fatalities of children below the age of 15 are pedestrians, with more school-age pedestrians killed between the hours of 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. than any other time of day.
To keep school kids safe, AAA South Dakota recommends these seven safety tips:
- Slow down. Speed limits in school zones are reduced for a reason. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling at 25 m.p.h. is nearly two-thirds less likely to be killed compared to a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling just 10 m.p.h. faster.
- Ditch the distractions. Children often cross the road unexpectedly and may emerge suddenly between two parked cars. Research shows that taking your eyes off the road for just two seconds doubles your chances of crashing. Put down the phone and focus on driving safely.
- Brake for buses. It may be tempting to drive around a stopped school bus, but not only is it dangerous, it’s against the law, no matter from which direction you’re approaching the stopped bus.
- Reverse responsibly. Every vehicle has blind spots. Check for children on the sidewalk, driveway and around your vehicle before slowly backing up. Teach your children to never play in, under or around vehicles—even those that are parked.
- Talk with your teen. Car crashes are one of the leading causes of death for teens in the United States, and more than one in four fatal crashes involving teen drivers occur during the after-school hours of 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Learn more at https://cluballiance.aaa.com/traffic-safety/teen-driving
- Come to a complete stop. Research shows that more than one-third of drivers roll through stop signs in school zones or neighborhoods. Always come to a complete stop, checking carefully for children on sidewalks and in crosswalks before proceeding.
- Be aware of bicycles. Children on bikes are often inexperienced, unsteady and unpredictable. Slow down and allow at least three feet of passing distance between your vehicle and the bicycle. If your child rides a bicycle to school, require that they wear a properly-fitted bicycle helmet on every ride.
About AAA
AAA provides automotive, travel, and insurance services to more than 63 million members nationwide and more than 100,000 members in South Dakota. AAA advocates for the safety and mobility of its members and has been committed to outstanding road service for more than 100 years. AAA is a non-stock, membership corporation working on behalf of motorists, who can map a route, access a COVID travel restriction map, find local gas prices and electric vehicle charging stations, discover discounts, book a hotel, and track their roadside assistance service with the AAA Mobile app (AAA.com/mobile) for iPhone, iPad and Android. For more information on joining or renewing a Membership, visit www.AAA.com.
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