Back-to-School - Safe Driving Tips

Aug 15

Summer is winding down and back-to-school traffic is upon us. Back-to-school season brings more drivers out on the roads here in Morgantown, and more drivers on the road mean more opportunities to find yourself in an automobile accident. In this blog post, our Morgantown, WV car wreck attorney, Brianna W. McCardle, discusses back-to-school safe driving tips and what to do if you have been in a wreck.

Back-to-School Driver Safety Tips

Stay Alert
Distracted driving is one of the leading causes of car wrecks in the United States. Distracted driving is any activity that takes your attention from the road including talking and texting on your phone, eating and drinking, talking to people in your vehicle, and playing with the radio, entertainment, or navigation system. Even though driving seems like a simple activity, it is actually a very complex task that requires full attention. Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds. At 55 mph, that's like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed! Stay alert and direct your full attention to driving.
Obey the Speed Limit
This is a standard rule of the road, but it is even more important in school zones where children may be unloading and loading. Always know the speed limit of the road or area that you are on, and never exceed the speed limit in a school zone.
Buckle Up
According to CDC data, in 2019, 608 child passengers age 12 and younger died in motor vehicle crashes, and more than 91,000 were injured. Of the children 12 and younger who died in a crash (for whom restraint use was known), 38% were not buckled up. Car seat use reduces the risk for injury in a crash by 71–82% for children, when compared with seat belt use alone. Booster seat use reduces the risk for serious injury by 45% for children age 4–8, when compared with seat belt use alone. For older children and adults, seat belt use reduces the risk for death and serious injury by about half. Always make sure that you and your passengers buckle up prior to getting out on the road.
Maintain a Safe Distance
Again, this is a standard rule of the road, but it is even more important on congested roads with stop-and-go traffic. It is also extremely important to maintain a safe distance behind school buses. Keep as much space as possible between you and the school bus (whether you are following or leading) to prevent the possibility of a collision. School buses make frequent stops to load and unload children and maintaining a safe distance gives you time to safely stop whether you are following or leading. Failure to maintain a safe distance is a leading cause of rear-end collisions.
Watch for Pedestrians and Bicycles
Watch for pedestrians and bicycles on the road, particularly in school zones, downtown, and near-campus areas. Be particularly careful around school buses that may be loading and unloading students.
Go Slowly Past Parked Cars
Go slowly past parked cars, particularly in school zones, downtown, and near-campus areas. Small children can dart into the road without warning - particularly in school zones. When you see a parked car, particularly in a school zone, slow down and stay alert for people, particularly small children, crossing the road.
Watch for School Buses
School buses are bright yellow and outfitted with flashing lights and stop signs for a reason. Slow down when you see yellow flashing lights — this means that the bus is preparing to stop. When you see red flashing lights - stop - and wait at least 20 feet behind the school bus because children are either loading or unloading. Stay stopped until the red lights stop flashing and until the stop-arm is pulled back and the bus begins moving again. Always keep an eye out for pedestrians - students and parents may be nearby waiting for the bus to load or unload, even if the lights aren’t flashing. Also, be alert as you back out of your driveway, drive through a neighborhood, or whenever in a school zone or bus stop - particularly in the early mornings and late afternoons. Always maintain a safe distance ahead of and behind school buses, never cut in front of a school bus in traffic, and never pass a stopped school bus from either direction.

If you are in a car wreck . . .

Call 911 for assistance - request EMS services and police to come to the scene of the wreck;
Take photographs - of your vehicle, the other driver’s vehicle, and the general scene of the wreck;
Exchange information with the other driver and witnesses - exchange contact and insurance information with the other driver and try to obtain contact information for any witnesses who may be on scene;
Get medical help, if needed;
Follow treatment recommendations - follow treatment recommendations from medical providers that are given to you;
Keep documentation - about your injuries, pain, days missed from work, providers you have seen, recommendations from providers, events you may have missed because of your injures; and
Contact an experienced car wreck attorney - If you have been injured in a car wreck, contact our experienced Morgantown, WV car wreck attorney, Brianna W. McCardle, for help.