School administrator offers guidance for children navigating alternate paths to educational institutions
Stay Safe: Back-to-School Walking Tips from Sheridan Police Department
As the new school year approaches, the Sheridan Police Department wants to ensure the safety of all children walking to school. Chief Travis Koltiska has shared several useful tips to help children navigate their routes more safely, especially when learning new ones.
- Visibility is Key: Wearing bright or reflective clothing during dawn, dusk, or low-light conditions can greatly increase visibility. A small flashlight can also prove beneficial in enhancing visibility during these times. Reflective strips on backpacks or jackets can also make children more visible to motorists.
- Choose Your Route Wisely: Choosing well-lit routes for walking is essential for safety. These routes will offer better visibility and reduce the risk of accidents.
- Follow Traffic Rules: Obey all signs and signals while walking. Teach children to stop at the curb before crossing the road and to avoid crossing between parked cars. If no sidewalk is present, walking should be done facing traffic and as far from vehicles as possible.
- Respect School Buses: Motorists are reminded to respect stopped school buses. Children sometimes must cross streets near their bus stops, so it's crucial that motorists stop when school bus red lights flash and Stop-Arms are extended to protect children getting on or off buses.
For more back-to-school safety resources, families are advised to contact the school district. The Sheridan Police Department is also available to help with any back-to-school safety concerns.
By following these tips, children can enjoy a safer walk to school and reduce the risk of accidents. Let's work together to ensure a peaceful and safe start to the new school year.
- Engaging with the 'public pulse', it's crucial for parents to consider health-and-wellness practices, such as incorporating fitness-and-exercise routines, to ensure their children are active and healthy while walking to school, adhering to the safety tips provided by the Sheridan Police Department.
- To foster a complete approach to safety, the 'science' of traffic patterns and community navigation should be integrated into discussions about walking to school, working together to teach children the importance of visibility, route selection, traffic rules, and respect for school buses.
