School's Open -- Drive Carefully
17 August 1998
School's Open -- Drive Carefully
HOUSTON--Aug. 14, 1998--"School's Open - Drive Carefully" is a message AAA Texas wants motorists to heed as school starts for many Texas children. The AAA Texas kicked off it's annual "School's Open - Drive Carefully" campaign today by reminding motorists that the start of school requires extra care when driving in school zones and residential areas.
"School children are excited and thinking of many things at the start of a new school year and these distractions could result in tragedy if motorists do not take special precautions," says Bill Noble, traffic safety spokesman for AAA Texas. "Drivers simply need to slow down and watch for children."
A look at the statistics proves why drivers need to be more careful: Motor vehicle crashes are the number-one cause of death for children ages 5 to 18. Speeding, in school zones and elsewhere, is a contributing factor to this horrible problem. The main danger to children comes from the fact children are smaller and harder for drivers to see. Children also sometimes make the mistake of assuming that if they can see a car, the driver can see them.
AAA started the "School's Open - Drive Carefully" campaign in 1933. Sixty-five years later, the message is still relevant. Every year as school begins, AAA Texas and AAA clubs throughout the country, distribute nearly two million pieces of educational material, including pencils, rulers, and bumper stickers that alert drivers to exercise caution. Check your local AAA Texas office for these materials and other information.
To help protect our children, AAA urges you to follow these safety tips:
-- Slow down in or near school and residential areas. -- Drive with your headlights on -- even during the day -- so children
and other drivers can see you.
-- Look for clues such as School Safety Patrols, crossing guards,
bicycles, and playgrounds that indicate children could be in the
area.
-- Scan between parked cars and other objects for signs that children
could dart into the road.
-- Practice extra caution in bad weather.
-- Always stop for school buses that are loading or unloading students.
AAA Texas, an affiliate of the American Automobile Association, has been serving Texans since 1905. Today, AAA Texas offers its members public safety programs, a full service travel agency, financial services, and auto-related services.
