Division 3 Safety Engineer Ryan Gay Talks Safety
Recently, Division 3 Safety Engineer Ryan Gay talked about two things on everyone’s mind this August — the heat and the start of school.
School Safety
More cars will be on the road in that hectic time before school and immediately after. Motorists should be especially careful on roads leading to and from schools.
“It is often said that ‘safety is a shared responsibility'” said Gay. “We all need to slow down even before we get to a school zone. When we see that speed limit sign that reads-25 MPH, it means 25, not 26. That speed is rigorously enforced. We should also be aware that children might be riding bicycles as well as darting out into the road between cars. This is definitely not a time to be texting or even chatting on the phone.”
In addition to parents driving their children to school, motorists will also see that iconic symbol of school in session-the school bus. As with school zones, there are some very specific ways we must drive near those buses:
North Carolina’s law on stopping for a school bus:
Two-lane roadway: When school bus stops for passengers, all traffic from both directions must stop!
Two-lane roadway with a center turning lane: When school bus stops for passengers, all traffic form both directions must stop!
Four-lane roadway without a median separation: When school bus stops for passengers, all traffic from both directions must stop!
Divided highway of four lanes or more with a median separation: When school bus stops for passengers, only traffic following the bus must stop.
Roadway of four lanes or more with a center turning lane: When school bus stops for passengers, only traffic following the bus must stop.
Be Aware that people that do not know the laws can stop when not required.