Cranston Police: School is Back, Please Drive Safely

School starts Wednesday in Cranston and that means slower speed limits in school zones are once again in effect.

Along with asking residents to drive safely, Cranston police are stepping up patrols around school zones to coincide with the start of the school year.

And the department isn’t stopping there. To further heighten awareness, members of the police department including Chief Col. Michael J. Winquist and members of the command staff will be walking with elementary school students.

The initiative is part of a close partnership with the school district and Superintendent Jeannine Not-Masse and her administrative staff, police said in a news release.

“As the commencement of the new school year is always an exciting and hectic time for parents and children alike, we especially would like to remind motorists to budget extra commuting time to compensate for school buses being on the road, and to remain vigilant in school zones and around school buses,” Winquist said.

The Cranston Police Department would like to offer the following tips as the school year begins:

Drivers:

• When backing out of a driveway or leaving a garage, watch out for children walking or bicycling to school.
• When driving in neighborhoods with school zones, watch out for young people who may be thinking about getting to school, but may not be thinking of getting there safely.
• Slow down. Watch for children walking in the street, especially if there are no sidewalks in neighborhood.
• Slow down. Watch for children playing and congregating near bus stops.
• Be alert. Children arriving late for the bus may dart into the street without looking for traffic.
• Learn and obey the school bus laws. Learn the “flashing signal light system” that school bus drivers use to alert motorists of pending actions:
• Yellow flashing lights indicate that the bus is preparing to stop to load or unload children. Motorists should slow down and prepare to stop their vehicles.
• Red flashing lights and extended stop arms indicate that the bus has stopped, and that children are getting on or off. Motorists must stop their cars and wait until the red lights stop flashing, the extended stop sign is withdrawn, and the bus begins moving before they can start driving again.

Children:

• Have your child get to the bus stop at least five minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive.
• Wait until the bus stops, the door opens, and the driver says that it’s okay before stepping onto the bus.
• If they have to cross the street in front of the bus, advise them to walk on the sidewalk or along the side of the road to a point at least five giant steps (10 feet) ahead of the bus before you cross.
• Encourage them to never walk behind the bus.
• Explain to them that if they drop something near the bus to tell the bus driver as the driver may not see them.
• If they are walking to school, consider whether your child has the skills necessary to walk safely. Can he or she stay alert to the dangers of traffic? Can he or she stay focused on getting to school without getting distracted and delayed?
• Walk the route yourself before taking your child along. Be sure that the route she will take offers good visibility, is relatively free of hazards, has plenty of pedestrian room at a safe distance from traffic, and involves no dangerous crossings.
• Consider available daylight when your child will be walking. Regardless of visibility, be sure your child is wearing brightly colored clothing.
• If extremely hot or cold weather or bad weather conditions are a concern, have a backup transportation plan.
• See if there are other neighborhood children your child can walk with. There is safety in numbers.

Parents:

• Teach children to follow these common sense practices to make school bus transportation safer.