The opening of school can be a hectic time for parents,
students, and even those who don
’t have children in schools but are affected by the increased
traffic around schools on their usual commute route.
The opening of school can be a hectic time for parents, students, and even those who don’t have children in schools but are affected by the increased traffic around schools on their usual commute route.
Law enforcement agencies throughout Santa Clara County join together this time of year to remind everyone that safety in and around school zones is a priority.
This week, the California Highway Patrol and the Morgan Hill Police Department will be participating in “Operation Safe Passage.” The purpose is to alert parents driving their children to and from school, commuters and children walking and riding their bikes to school that traffic safety and rules of the road do apply and will be strictly enforced.
Specifically, the teams of officers will concentrate on the following hazardous violations near and in school zones: passing school buses with flashing red lights; speeding; not yielding to pedestrians; jaywalking; not wearing bicycle helmets; violating child restraint and seat belt laws; and other “collision-causing” behavior, such as running stop signs.
Sgt. David Swing of the MHPD said the department sees school safety as an important part of its community responsibility.
“This (Operation Safe Passage) is something that we participate in every year,” he said Monday. “We see it as a very beneficial thing. And though it is a focus this week, because of this program, it is something that we have been doing since the opening of school in late August. Our dayshift has been making an effort to be around schools during start and closing times.”
Swing said the department increases the amount of officers on patrol during the week.
“We have increased our patrols staffing, with several officers on special duty assignment at various schools, looking for traffic-related offenses,” he said.
Swing also said that although the focus has been on schools since the beginning of the year, traffic safety in and around school zones is important throughout the school year.
Also this week, the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) reminds everyone to be particularly careful along school routes and at all railroad crossings.
California Rail Safety Week is Sept. 8-14, and rail operators throughout the state are teaming up to remind drivers and pedestrians to exercise caution around railroad crossings and along railroad tracks.
The focus of California Rail Safety Week is to remind drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists to make safe decisions and to respect all traffic laws relating to railroad crossing signs and signals. “Look, Listen and Live” is not just a slogan – it saves lives.
In 2002, there were 140 incidents at highway-rail crossings in California, resulting in 30 fatalities. That same year there were also 90 trespasser fatalities along California’s railroads.
