Safety First: MFISD students are back at school

The Back to School Blast is done. New Teachers have been welcomed by the Marble Falls/Lake LBJ Chamber of Commerce. And, this week Marble Falls ISD students returned to the classrooms.

Many children will be walking or riding their bicycles to and from school – many of them during the busiest time of the day when motorists are traveling to work or home.

Marble Falls Fire Rescue is sharing the following safety tips for the community:
Dropping off students
Schools often have very specific drop-off procedures for the school year. Make sure you know them for the safety of all kids. More children are hit by cars near schools than at any other location. The following apply to all school zones:

• Don't double park; it blocks visibility for other children and vehicles
• Don't load or unload children across the street from the school
• Carpool to reduce the number of vehicles at the school

Young Pedestrians
According to research by the National Safety Council, most of the children who lose their lives in bus-related incidents are 4 to 7 years old, and they're walking. They are hit by the bus, or by a motorist illegally passing a stopped bus.
Slow down in school zones

• Be ready to stop at all times because children may dart out between vehicles
• Don't block the crosswalk when stopped at a red light or waiting to make a turn, forcing pedestrians to go around you; this could put them in the path of moving traffic
• In a school zone when flashers are blinking, stop and yield to pedestrians crossing the crosswalk or intersection
• Always stop for a school crossing guard holding up a stop sign
• Take extra care to look out for children in school zones, near playgrounds and parks, and in all residential areas
• Never pass a vehicle stopped for pedestrians

 Sharing the Road with School Buses
If you're driving behind a bus, allow a greater following distance than if you were driving behind a car. It will give you more time to stop once the yellow lights start flashing. It is illegal in all 50 states to pass a school bus that is stopped to load or unload children.
Never pass a bus from behind – or from either direction if you're on an undivided road – if it is stopped to load or unload children
If the yellow or red lights are flashing and the stop arm is extended, traffic must stop
The area 10 feet around a school bus is the most dangerous for children; stop far enough back to allow them space to safely enter and exit the bus
Head Up, Phone Down
Before your children head out, remind them:

• Never walk while texting or talking on the phone
• If texting, move out of the way of others and stop on the sidewalk
• Never cross the street while using an electronic device
• Do not walk with headphones on
• Be aware of the surroundings
• Always walk on the sidewalk if one is available; if a child must walk on the street, he or she should face oncoming traffic
• Look left, right, then left again before crossing the street
• Cross only at crosswalks

Bicycle Safety

• Wear a helmet
• Be sure to have reflectors on your pedals, frame, and wheels
• Be Seen – Be Aware – Be Predictable
• Follow the Rules of the Road - Ride on the right, with the traffic, in single file
• Obey stop signs and traffic lights
• Never cross a street without looking for cars. Give the right-of-way to pedestrians in crosswalks.

For more information, contact Marble Falls Fire Rescue at 830-693-4060.