Mt. Juliet, Tenn. – Students are back to school tomorrow, and in an effort to keep kids safe while heading to and from school, Mt. Juliet Police will be providing extra attention in school zones this week to raise awareness that school is back in session. Officers have been assigned designated school zones before and after school for the first week, and they will be focusing on reduced speed limits in school zones, school bus stop-arm, texting while driving, seat belt, and child passenger safety laws.
“The safety of children is our main priority,” stated Chief James Hambrick. “Our officers will be focused on motorists who disregard laws that have been designed to protect children in school zones.”
Parents are encouraged to visit their child’s school website to become familiar with the traffic plans for drop-off and pick-up at each school. Wilson County School’s website is: http://www.wcschools.com/.
To ensure our school zones are safe this school year, Mt. Juliet Police offer the following suggestions:
- Give yourself plenty of time in the morning! As traffic volumes and congestion on the roadways increase, so does the length of time it takes to travel to your destination. Giving yourself more time, by leaving earlier, reduces stress, increases your awareness, and improves your driving. Obey the posted speed limit signs and directional signs. This includes marked curbs. These signs and curb markings assist in the traffic flow into and out of the schools and assist in the safety of the students who walk and bike to school. One misplaced car can disrupt the traffic flow and the safety of our students.
- Be patient! Impatience leads to aggressive driving, rude or unwarranted behavior, pedestrian and bicycle collisions, and it creates traffic gridlock. Remember, everyone has the same goal in mind, to get our children safely to and from school. Also remember, the habits you exhibit in your driving and demeanor are typically passed on to your children when they start driving.
- If you are driving your children to school, have them ready to leave the car, with all of their belongings, when you come to a stop at the school. Backups and delays are caused when children have to get their backpacks and other items from the trunk or back seat of a car. Explore other alternatives such as carpool, ride-sharing, walking, or biking to school.
- Watch and obey the school crossing guards. Crossing guards are provided to assist with school traffic and the safe crossing of your students across the surrounding streets near each elementary school. Be on the lookout, be prepared to stop, and be prepared to follow their directions so our children can get to and from school safely.
Stopping for a School Bus Law:
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