Traffic-Related Back-to-School Safety
Together with the Fairfax County Police Department, FCPS would like to remind everyone how we can work together to ensure that everyone has a safe school year.
The police department has provided a list of the 5 S’s, which, if ignored, create unsafe situations.
Speed Limits
School zones are marked with 25 MPH flashing signs. These flashing lights start 30 minutes prior to the start of school and remain on 30 minutes after dismissal. Do not ignore those signs; even if you do not see children crossing!
Stop Signs
Stop Signs are installed at locations where a full stop is necessary for everyone’s safety. A full stop means that your wheels stop turning and you feel the weight of your vehicle shift. Always assume that the pedestrian is going to cross whether they have the right-of-way or not. Parents should remind their children that they need to make sure cars have stopped before entering the street, and to wait for crossing guards to wave them across a guarded crossing.
School Buses
Many drivers get confused about when they have to stop and when they can pass a school bus with flashing lights. Drivers must stop when the red lights are flashing on a school bus when there are no raised medians or walls between their travel lanes and the school bus. Police follow school buses and are ready to issue reckless driving tickets. The penalty includes $2,500 in fines and loss of your license for six months and up to 180 days in jail.
Safe Stopping
Some drivers stop in the middle of the roadway to load and unload passengers. This is extremely dangerous, especially if children exit on the roadway side of a vehicle. State Law does not allow loading and unloading of passengers from a roadway. Please load and unload children in the designated Kiss and Ride locations, or from designated, safe parking locations. Tickets may be issued for illegal parking in and around schools because of the safety issues that are created.
Seatbelts
State Law requires everyone 17 and under to be seat-belted at all times. This is especially important for children. The short drive from home to school may be the time when an accident occurs. Children need to be seat-belted until the car reaches its location and has fully stopped. Children should not be in the habit of removing seat belts because they “see the school” or because they are “almost there.” Drivers CAN be stopped for unbelted children and ticketed.
