Daniel Prince
AAA Carolinas offers driver safety tips
Today marks the first day of school for public school students. Students at Union Christian Day School began classes last week.
AAA of the Carolinas has launched its School’s Open Drive Carefully campaign. Drivers are asked to slow down, eliminate distractions, and obey traffic laws when passing bus stops and driving through neighborhoods and school zones. Drivers can expect more traffic on the roadways in the mornings and afternoons, including school buses.
When driving through school zones, lower your speed and increase your awareness, making sure you can respond to potential hazards on the roadway. Remember, it is illegal to use your handheld mobile device while driving through an active school zone.
When approaching a school bus that is stopped with its red lights flashing and stop arms extended, drivers moving in either direction on a two-lane street or a multi-lane road with paved median must stop for a school bus displaying a stop signal and must remain stopped until the road is clear of children and the bus stop arm is withdrawn. On a divided highway with a raised barrier such as a concrete divider or at least five feet of unpaved space separating the lanes of traffic, traffic approaching the bus does not have to stop, but they should slow down and watch for students.