Published: August 27, 2008 09:55 pm         

Reminder

Slow down; adjust to changes that come with a new school year

Your morning commute Tuesday was a little different than it had been the past couple of months. If you have children, you probably were up a little earlier and you anticipated the return of school buses and heavier traffic.

This week calls for some readjustment for all of us. There will be children at bus stops who may become distracted and stand or play closer to the highway than they should. There will be kids who are late for school running to catch their bus.

It’s up to us as motorists to anticipate the unexpected. We need to leave a little earlier and drive a little slower to work.

The speed limit in school zones is 15 mph. That’s really slow, and it can be hard to make the adjustment if you’re cruising down a straight stretch of road and suddenly see the school zone sign. Think ahead. Begin making your speed adjustments well ahead of the school zone.

Bus drivers have more than their share of headaches, trying to collect, transport and distribute all their passengers safely. Help them out. Remember to stop when you see those flashing lights, especially when they’re in the opposite lane facing you. Stop. Don’t keep inching your way along. Although most routes are designed to keep children from having to cross several lanes of traffic to board the bus, there may be that stray youngster coming out of nowhere. Be alert. Look for kids — everywhere.

Many young athletes have resumed their early morning runs alongside the highway. Watch for them. Runners, follow the rules. Put on that reflective clothing and run facing traffic. Make sure motorists know you’re there.

Yes, there is a lot to remember. Driving safely requires our full attention. Not only should we expect to make major changes as we commute these days, we need to make a commitment to give our undivided attention to the job of driving. Respect the wonders of wireless communication by using cell phones, radios and other gadgets wisely.

We’ve all had that near-miss when someone distracted by something cut in front of us, ran a red light or moved suddenly into the lane ahead of us. The only thing that saved us is the fact we were watching and weren’t distracted at the time.

There’s too much activity on the roadways for us to take anything for granted. We have to be vigilant, and we have to drive with a commitment to safety — ours and everybody else’s.