The National Safety Council reminds drivers to slow down as back-to-school days means sharing the road.
School days bring congestion: School buses are picking up their passengers, kids on bikes are hurrying to get to school before the bell ring and harried parents are trying to drop their kids off before work. 

It’s never more impor­tant for drivers to slow down and pay attention than when kids are present — especially before and after school.
Schools often have very specific drop-off proce­dures for the school year. Make sure you know them for the safety of all kids. 

The following apply to all school zones:

• Don’t double park; it blocks visibility for other children and vehicles
• Don’t load or unload children across the street from the school
• Carpool to reduce the number of vehicles at the school
• According to research by the National Safety Council, most of the chil­dren who lose their lives in bus-related incidents are 4 to 7 years old, and they’re walking. They are hit by the bus, or by a motorist illegally passing a stopped bus. A few precautions go a long way toward keeping children safe:
• Don’t block the crosswalk when stopped at a red light or waiting to make a turn, forcing pedestrians to go around you; this could put them in the path of moving traffic
• In a school zone when flashers are blinking, stop and yield to pedestrians crossing the crosswalk or intersection
• Always stop for a school patrol officer or crossing guard holding up a stop sign
• Take extra care to look out for children in school zones, near play­grounds and parks, and in all residential areas
• Don’t honk or rev your engine to scare a pedestrian, even if you have the right of way
• Never pass a vehicle stopped for pedestrians
• Always use extreme caution to avoid striking pedestrians wherever they may be, no matter who has the right of way

Drivers who are behind a bus are reminded to allow a greater following distance than if they were driving behind a car. It will give more time to stop once the yellow lights start flashing. It is illegal in all 50 states to pass a school bus that is stopped to load or unload children.

• Never pass a bus from behind on a divided road — or from either direction if you’re on an undivided road — if it is stopped to load or unload children. A divided road is one with a physical median or barrier. A road that is merely painted is classified as an undivided road under state law.
• If the yellow or red lights are flashing and the stop arm is extended, traffic must stop
• The area 10 feet around a school bus is the most dangerous for children; stop far enough back to allow them space to safely enter and exit the bus
• Be alert; children often are unpredictable, and they tend to ignore hazards and take risks
• On most roads, bicy­clists have the same rights and responsibilities as vehicles, but bikes can be hard to see. 
• Children riding bikes create special problems for drivers because usually they are not able to prop­erly determine traffic conditions. The most common cause of colli­sion is a driver turning left in front of a bicyclist.
• When passing a bicy­clist, proceed in the same direction slowly and leave three feet between your car and the cyclist
• When turning left and a bicyclist is approaching in the opposite direction, wait for the rider to pass
• If you’re turning right and a bicyclist is approaching from behind on the right, let the rider go through the intersec­tion first, and always use your turn signals
• Watch for bike riders turning in front of you without looking or signaling; children espe­cially have a tendency to do this
• Be extra vigilant in school zones and residen­tial neighborhoods
• Watch for bikes coming from driveways or behind parked cars
• Check side mirrors before opening your door

By exercising a little extra care and caution, drivers and pedestrians can co-exist safely