Schools Are In Session – Motorists Be Alert!

Frederick County Schools are in session! Frederick County Fire and Rescue Services would like to remind motorists to be alert when travelling through school zones and neighborhoods where children are present. Children are difficult to see and are the most unpredictable pedestrians. Children are usually very comfortable in their surroundings, whether they are running and playing with friends, or walking to or from their school bus, they often ignore hazards or fail to look both ways before crossing the street. Drivers need to exercise extreme caution.

Some safety tips for motorists to keep in mind now that school buses are back on the road:
 It is illegal to pass a school bus that is stopped to load or unload children.
 Traffic in both directions must stop on undivided roadways when students are entering or exiting a school bus.
 School buses use yellow flashing lights to alert motorists that they are preparing to stop to load or unload children. Red flashing lights and an extended stop sign arm signals to motorists that the bus is stopped and children are getting on or off the bus.
 The area 10 feet around a school bus is where children are in the most danger of being hit. Stop your vehicle far enough from the bus to allow children enough room to enter and exit the bus safely.
By slowing down and using caution, especially in areas where there is heavy pedestrian traffic, you can help ensure that children travel safely to and from school