TAMPA — AAA is issuing a safety alert for all Florida drivers, as students prepare to return to school.

“Get ready for heavier traffic than normal, especially at first, since a lot of parents like to drive their kids to campus during the first few days back,” said Mark Jenkins, spokesman, AAA – The Auto Club Group. “It would be a good idea to budget an extra half hour for your morning commute. This is important, because drivers who are running late are more likely to speed and take unnecessary risks while behind the wheel. That endangers everyone on the roadway.”

According to a recent AAA survey, more than half of Floridians typically drive through a school zone (57%) or pass a school bus stop (55%) on their normal driving route. “These school zones and bus stops have not been active for the past couple of months. So, drivers will need to adjust their morning habits,” Jenkins continued. “Slow down and watch for young students near traffic lanes, because they may not be watching for you.”

Other survey stats:

• 36% admitted to speeding in an active school zone.
• 27% admitted to using their hand-held cell phone while driving in active school zones.

“When driving through an active school zone, it’s extremely important to lower your speed and raise your awareness,” Jenkins continued. “Remember, in Florida it is illegal to use your handheld mobile device while driving through an active school zone.”

Motor Vehicle Crashes are the Greatest Threat for Children

Nationwide, nearly 1 out of every 5 children (14 and younger) who dies in a traffic crash is a pedestrian. While it’s important for drivers to exercise caution, pedestrians have a shared responsibility for staying safe.

“Distracted pedestrians can be just as consequential as a distracted driver,” Jenkins said. “Now is an important time to talk to your students about the rules of the road and ways to stay safe. Discourage them from wearing earbuds or looking down at digital devices while standing or walking near traffic lanes. Otherwise, they may not detect an approaching vehicle.”

AAA Safety Tips

AAA – The Auto Club Group provides guidance for parents of young pedestrians, as part of its School’s Open Drive Carefully campaign. It also released the following advice:

For Pedestrians

• Pay attention at all times. Avoid texting or wearing headphones, so you can detect nearby traffic.
• Use sidewalks where available. If not, walk against the direction of traffic so you can see oncoming vehicles.
• Make yourself easier to be seen by wearing reflective, bright colored clothing.
• Don’t assume drivers see you. Before crossing the street, make sure approaching vehicles have stopped. Make eye contact with the driver to ensure they see you before walking ahead.

For Bicyclists

• Wear a helmet and neon or bright colored clothes.
• Ride in the same direction as traffic and stay as far to the right as possible. Use bike lanes when you can.
• Do not wear headphones so you can detect approaching traffic.
• Cross the street at intersections. Do not pull into the roadway from between parked cars.

For Students at the Bus Stop

• Arrive at least 5 minutes before the bus is scheduled to arrive.
• Stay five steps away from the curb.
• Wait until the bus comes to a complete stop and the bus driver signals for you to board.

School Bus Traffic Laws Explained

According to the AAA survey, 19 percent of respondents admit to driving around a school bus while its red lights are flashing, and its stop arms are extended. Florida law requires motorists to stop when approaching a school bus that is stopped with its red lights flashing and STOP arms extended. The only exception is on a divided highway with a raised divider.

School bus laws explained:

• Two Lane Street – All drivers moving in either direction on a two-way street must stop for a school bus displaying a stop signal and must remain stopped until the road is clear of children AND the school bus stop arm is withdrawn.
• Multi-Lane Paved Median – All drivers moving in either direction must stop for a school bus displaying a stop signal and must remain stopped until the road is clear of children AND the school bus stop arm is withdrawn.
• Divided Highway – Traffic approaching an oncoming school bus does not need to stop if there is a raised barrier such as a concrete divider or at least five feet of unpaved space separating the lanes of traffic. However, these motorists should slow down and watch for students loading or unloading from the bus.