New school year means caution for everyone

With the return of thousands of students to schools throughout the metro area, daily life for everyone must be adjusted to ensure the safety of our children and the general public, as well as protection from unwanted liability.

All motorists must stop and think about the way they drive on any street because thousands of children will be traversing to and from school and extracurricular school activities. 

They will be traveling on the streets, along the streets, and crossing streets.  They will be walking, riding bicycles, and riding in cars.  They will generally range between the ages of 6 and 16 and are loved by their families. They are also considered our community’s most precious gift.  One could only hope for mercy after a careless moment injuring or killing a child with a 3,000-pound automobile. 

Think about that. Can you imagine the pain and suffering to a child, their family, friends, or to the one responsible for a tragic accident involving a child because of carelessness? What do you think the judicial system would think? What would they do? What would happen to the responsible person’s insurance?

The first thing any motorist should do is refresh their understanding of traffic laws before getting behind the wheel of a vehicle.  Independence traffic ordinances are generally a reflection of Missouri traffic laws. As anyone knows, all traffic must stop for a school bus that is stopped and in the process of loading or discharging passengers.  The school bus will have red lights flashing and an extended stop sign displayed when doing so.  It should be noted however that, “The driver of a vehicle upon a street with separate roadways need not stop upon meeting or overtaking a school bus which is on a different roadway or which is proceeding in the opposite direction on a street containing four or more lanes of traffic…” (City Code, Indep., MO, 18.13.029 D.) 

In other words, if you are driving on a roadway that has two lanes going in one direction and two lanes going in the opposite direction, you do not have to stop for a school bus loading or unloading passengers in the opposite lanes.  If you were driving in the same direction as the school bus however, you would have to stop. 

Another traffic law to remember is that all “U” turns are prohibited except where permitted to do so by a posted sign.  One law that some people apparently have difficulty remembering is Missouri revised statute 304.012, requiring a vehicle’s lights to be turned on anytime weather conditions require usage of the vehicle’s windshield wipers. 

One of the most important factors a motorist should remember is to operate their vehicle at a safe speed, especially when weather conditions deteriorate.  Speed is one factor of natural law that is unforgiving.  When a three thousand pound vehicle is traveling 35 mph, it takes a certain distance to stop after a pedestrian steps into the street, the driver sees them, reacts to the situation, and applies the brakes.

Children walking and playing along streets are often found to run into streets after toys or any of several reasons.  The chance of a speeding vehicle stopping in time is greatly diminished for every mile per hour of increased speed.

It is incumbent upon each of us to watch out for our most precious of gifts, our children.  We must be responsible and mature enough to maintain control of our vehicles as well as our lives.  We must plan ahead so we won’t be late to work or to an appointment.  We can’t let a child pay the price for our own irresponsible behavior. The price is too high.  Please slow down, obey the laws, and drive defensively.  Innocent lives are depending on you.