AAA Western and Central New York, along with law enforcement, has kicked off its annual “School’s Open, Drive Carefully” campaign as back-to-school season gets underway. With school buses headed back on the roads, commuters should give themselves extra time in coming weeks and be prepared for bus traffic. Motorists should also be patient with less experienced student drivers returning to high school and college.

AAA’s School’s Open, Drive Carefully campaign was launched nationally in 1946 to help reduce the number of school-related pedestrian injuries and fatalities. 79 years later, AAA clubs across the country continue to promote the campaign annually to remind motorists to watch out for children as they travel to and from school.

“With constant distractions behind the wheel and today’s drivers always in a rush, it’s more imperative than ever to get the safety message out as summer winds down and a new school year awaits,” said AAA Western and Central New York President and CEO Marke Dickinson. “We applaud and thank our safety partners for joining us here today.”

“It unfortunately becomes too common for us to see people blatantly, illegally passing stopped school buses. We’ve even seen videos of vehicles that have sped by a stopped bus as a student was about to get off, barely missed hitting them if not for a quick-thinking bus driver pulling the child back in,” explained Commissioner Mark Schroeder of the NYS DMV. “This is a big deal to me as Chair of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, but more importantly as a grandfather. I can tell you it’s my mission to stop those incidents from occurring.”

Trooper James O’Callaghan, Public Information Officer with the New York State Police Troop A, says incidents are disturbingly on the rise, “The alarming problem is that we had a three percent increase in tickets issued for passing a school bus in the past year. It’s unacceptable. We’ll be putting out extra patrols.”

Erie County Clerk Mickey Kearns addressed newly licensed teen drivers. “It’s a new frontier, it’s freedom, and having a driver’s license is a tremendous amount of responsibility,” he explained. “The number one rule is to slow down. It’s always easier to stop and make a correction when you’re driving at a slower pace.” He also suggested that parents and teenagers sign a “Safe Driving Pledge” provided by his office to commit to distraction free driving.

“Everyone has a smart phone and in-vehicle entertainment systems are extremely prevalent,” said Lt. Jeremy Lehning with the Erie County Sheriff’s Office. “Studies show that reading or sending a text message takes your attention away from the roadway for five seconds. With more students walking to school next week, that’s five seconds you don’t have to react if a child were to dart out into the roadway.”

“This year, the City of Buffalo continues to utilize school bus cameras to enforce safe driving around school buses,” explained Lt. Jenny Velez, Community Policing Coordinator with the Buffalo Police Department. “These cameras capture violations when drivers illegally pass a stopped school bus, and citations are issued to ensure accountability and protect our students.”

Many children still walk to school, and the Amherst Police Department addressed pedestrian safety. “Students, stay on the sidewalk whenever possible.” said Amherst Police Captain Christopher Meyer. “Some of our neighborhoods in Amherst don’t have sidewalks, and in that case, we ask them to walk facing traffic, so they’re walking toward the vehicle. Always use crosswalks, and if there is no crosswalk, always cross at the intersection.”

Nicholas Filipowski, Executive Director of Communications at the Williamsville Central School District, which provided a bus for the press conference, wrapped up safety messaging. “Plan ahead. Give yourself an extra five to ten minutes especially with buses and more traffic on the roads in the morning and the afternoons,” he said. “We’re a society that is in go mode. We want to get there now, but it’s really about taking time on the road, and we want our students and staff to arrive safely every single day.”

As school resumes, AAA encourages drivers to take extra care around school buses and driving in residential areas. Here are some helpful reminders:

• Always stop for a school bus when the lights are flashing
• Slow down
• Remove all distractions from the driver – put cell phones down
• Do not pass other vehicles
• Obey crossing guards at all times
• Expect the unexpected
• Check your mirrors before moving
• Teach your children the rules of traffic safety

For more information on traffic safety, visit www.AAA.com/SafetyPatrol.