Seguin PD encouraging drivers to use caution
(Seguin) — As children head back to school, the Seguin Police Department is calling on everyone to be extra careful in school zones and around school buses to help keep kids safe.
Lt. Mike McCann, of the Seguin PD, says school zones can be chaotic with children walking or biking to school.
“Please make sure that they slow when they are in school zones and be very aware and cognizant and paying attention. Kids don’t always walk where they are supposed to and sometimes they run. All phone usage in school zones is illegal,” said McCann.
McCann says all eyes are also needed on those large yellow school buses.
“Make sure when they see buses that they do not pass a school bus when a yellow or red light is flashing. Even if the school bus is another lane separated by a turn lane, it’s all traffic must still come to a stop. The only time you can pass a school bus when the red light is flashing and their loading or unloading is when there is a physical barrier or divider between the lanes like a patch of grass or a jersey barrier but if all the lanes are connected and somebody can just walk from one side of the road to the other and stay on concrete then all vehicles have to stop when they see the red flashing lights,” said McCann.
In 2023, there were 748 traffic crashes in Texas school zones, resulting in one death and 14 serious injuries. The most common crash causes were speeding, distracted driving and failure to yield the right of way.
McCann says being careful will especially be important these next few weeks as parents work to navigate their way around the various campuses.
“Anytime you are approaching a school zone, beware of your speed and make sure you leave early enough to plan for the congestion. There is going to be a lot of new drivers, new parents dropping off kids, picking up kids and it’s going to be a bit confusing for the first few weeks. Everybody is going to need to be a little bit more patient and know that things will quicken up as everybody gets used to their bus routes and school route,” said McCann.
There were also 11 people killed and 63 seriously injured last year in the 2,523 crashes involving Texas school buses. Driver inattention and speed were also the top contributing factors in those crashes.
McCann says the public should expect a strong presence of law enforcement around the various schools and throughout local streets. He adds that officers won’t hesitate to issue citations as the safety of students is paramount to the Seguin PD.