PRESS RELEASE

BACK TO SCHOOL SAFETY

With school back in session, the Seaside Police Department wishes to remind everyone to do their part to ensure a safe school year. Things parents should go over with their children include:

· Knowing their home phone number and address

· Know how to use the phone to call for help in an emergency

· Plan a walking route to school or the bus route & walk to school with a friend

· Go over bicycle safety if they ride a bike to school

· Make sure children understand and obey all signs

· Teach them never to talk with strangers and develop a family password

· Listen to your children’s fears and feelings

For the children, here are some safety tips for you to follow:

• Always use a crosswalk
• Always look left, right, and left again before crossing, and continue to watch for cars as you cross
• Always obey all traffic signs and signals
• Never chase anything out into the street or enter a street suddenly
• Never dart out from between parked cars

For those operating a vehicle, here are a few things you need to remember:

· Be aware of your speed and slow down whenever children are present.

· Remember 20MPH in School Zones

· Share the road with bicyclists

· Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks

· When meeting or overtaking a school bus with red flashing lights you must stop until the lights have been turned off

· Watch for children doing the unexpected

Remember children become easily distracted and may start into a street without warning. Many don’t understand the danger of moving vehicles and can not judge vehicle speed or distance. We all need to work together to make this school year safe for everyone. Oh, one last thing to remember whether you are an adult, young adult or child, whenever you are in a vehicle BUCKLE-UP -- EVERY TRIP -- EVERY TIME.