If there’s an end to summer, it’s the first day of school.
To that end, the Texas Department of Public Safety is reminding parents, students and any other motorist traveling past school campuses or along the routes students walk to reach them, to be extra-vigilant.
When exactly is the first day of school?
For Abilene and Amarillo ISDs, that’s Aug. 19 and Aug. 18, respectively.
But for Abilene’s Wylie ISD, school begins a week earlier on Aug. 13. That’s true also for Wichita Falls ISD and San Angelo ISD while Lubbock and Lubbock-Cooper ISDs begin on Aug. 12.
“As students head back to school, we’re asking every driver to make safety their top priority,” said Texas Highway Patrol Chief Bryan Rippee.
“Slow down, eliminate distractions and remain alert — especially in school zones, at bus stops and in high-volume traffic areas. Every child deserves to arrive at school and return home safely, and that starts with each of us making responsible decisions behind the wheel,” Rippee said.
DPS provided a list of driving tips for motorists to refresh their skills with:
But safety isn’t only the responsibility of motorists. DPS urges parents to have regular talks with their children about situational awareness as it pertains to school safety, especially in emergencies or during severe weather.
A list of commonsense safety tips are:
Parents can download the iWatch Texas app for reporting suspicious activity, but DPS cautions the app is not for reporting emergencies where you would otherwise dial 911. DPS also recommends the Texas School Safety Center through Texas State University as a resource on school safety for parents and school staff.
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Texas DPS issues back-to-school warnings for motorists, students
Reporting by Ronald W. Erdrich, Abilene Reporter-News / Abilene Reporter-News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Ronald W. Erdrich, Abilene Reporter-News | USA TODAY Network
