Sheriff, police offer back-to-school safety tips

With the start of school coming up Thursday for much of St. Mary Parish, law enforcement officials advise people to be aware of school zones and gave other tips pertaining to safety in and around schools.
In news releases, St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Traci Landry and Morgan City Police spokesman Capt. James Blair offered the following tips regarding safety as students go back to school.
Motorists should do the following.
—Buckle up.
—Watch for children walking to and from school at intersections, on medians, and curbs. Remember that children can be unpredictable in their actions.
—Adhere to the posted speed limit in school zones. It is against the law in Louisiana to pass in a school zone when the zone is in effect.
—Be prepared to stop for school buses. According to Louisiana law, vehicles are required to stop no less than 30 feet from a school bus that is picking up or dropping off children along a route. School bus drivers activate visual signals such as lights or stop signs to let other vehicles know that the bus is stopping. Vehicles may not proceed until the bus resumes motion.
—All motorists are required to stop for any school bus discharging or picking up children when the bus displays visual signals indicating such activity.
—Drivers are required to slow their vehicle to 15 mph in marked school zones in the Morgan City area. Learn the location of your area schools and adhere to all traffic requirements in these areas.
—Drivers shall yield to pedestrian traffic in a marked cross walk.
—Use the schools’ designated student drop off and pick up areas.
—Consider changing your route to avoid school zones and bus traffic.
Parents and children should do the following.
—If your child walks to school or to a bus stop, practice walking the path before the first day of school, choose a route with the safest and least number of traffic crossings.
—Always obey traffic signs and signals.
—Make sure children look both ways before crossing any street and never step into the street from between parked vehicles.
—Children taking a bus to school should wait in a location away from traffic, out of the street, and off of the curb.
—Children entering or exiting a school bus should never walk to the rear of the bus. Cross the bus in the front and walk in an area which can easily be seen by the driver to prevent an accident.
—When boarding and exiting a bus, children should always walk in view of the bus driver (in front of the bus) and follow the driver’s instructions.
—Make sure your child knows the correct phone numbers and address to contact you in case of an emergency.
—Parents should discuss with children the dangers of speaking to strangers. Remind kids that they should never accept gifts from people they do not know or offer to help someone they do not know. Let children know that it is more important to be safe than to be polite to an adult.
—Try to wake a few minutes extra to ensure that you are not rushed on your way to work or to bring your child to school.
—Morgan City Police advise people to report any suspicious activity or reckless drivers to the police department at 985-380-4605 or the local law enforcement agency.