Safety Alert: Schools Out — Drive Cautiously Around Kids

With summer break in full swing, AAA is urging drivers to slow down and stay alert as children spend more time outdoors, biking, scooting, and walking in neighborhoods and along streets.  Summer is a time for fun, but it also brings higher traffic safety risks, especially for kids aged 5 to 14, whose pedestrian injuries peak during these months.

Key Safety Tips for Drivers

• Stay Alert: Watch for children on bicycles, scooters, skateboards, and playing in front of homes or near streets.
• Obey Speed Limits: Drive at or below posted limits, especially in residential areas where kids may be present.
• Avoid Distractions: Put down your phone and focus fully on the road.
• Yield to Pedestrians: Always give the right-of-way at crosswalks and be ready to stop.
• Role Model Safe Behavior: Parents should teach children how to cross streets safely and follow traffic rules.

Additional Summer Driving Precautions

• Watch for Clues: A ball, net, or toy in the road or sidewalk can indicate kids are nearby.
• Back Up Carefully: Walk around your vehicle to ensure no children or pets are behind it.
• Use Playground Speed Limits: These remain in effect year-round; small children are less predictable and harder to see.
• Be Aware of Heat Effects (for commercial drivers): Check coolant and tire conditions before driving, as heat can affect vehicle safety.

Community Safety Reminders

• Never let children play or walk alone in neighborhoods; predators may be present .
• Teach kids to stop at stop signs, look both ways, and wear helmets when biking or skating.
• Avoid honking or revving engines to scare pedestrians.

Bottom line: Summer means more kids on the streets — be extra cautious, slow down, and share the road to help prevent accidents and protect young lives