Contributed report
School will be back in session for St. Timothy students on Tuesday, Sept. 5 and Maple Lake Public School students on Wednesday, Sept. 6
Motorists are being urged to slow down, stay alert in neighborhoods and school zones and to expect the unexpected.
This time of year is particularly dangerous due to the combination of young inexperienced drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists who will all share the road in the early morning and afternoon hours.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 64 percent of child pedestrians killed in traffic crashes in 2021 occurred between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. (NHTSA Traffic Safety Facts).
“Drivers should have a heightened sense of awareness the moment they put the vehicle in gear,” said Gene LaDoucer, regional director of public affairs, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “Excited children can move quickly and cross the road unexpectedly. You can reduce the chance of a terrible tragedy by staying focused, obeying the speed limit and being prepared to stop quickly,” he added.
A new AAA survey reveals that many drivers admit to risky behaviors like speeding and using a handheld mobile phone while driving through a school zone. The survey found that 34% of Minnesota drivers admitted to speeding in an active school zone, and 21% admitted to using a hand-held cell phone while driving in an active school zone.
The AAA School’s Open Drive Carefully awareness campaign was launched in 1946 in an effort to prevent school-related child pedestrian traffic crashes.