ST PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota Department of Public Safety (DPS) released road safety guidelines for parents to know as children go back to school.
DPS is reminding drivers to pay attention and slow down, "to anticipate school children and buses," in school zones and neighborhoods. Drivers must stop at least 20 ft. from a school bus that is displaying red flashing lights.
The department also has safety reminders for students getting off buses and walking through school zones:
Parents, tell your students:
- When getting off a bus, look to be sure no cars are passing on the shoulder.
- Wait for the bus driver to signal that it’s safe to cross.
- When crossing the street to get on the bus or to go home, make eye contact with motorists before proceeding.
The Office of Traffic Safety is reminding parents of the importance of buckling up in vehicles, including making sure younger children are in appropriate car seats. Infants and toddlers should be in rear-facing seats, pre-school age children in forward facing seats with harnesses and school age children who have reached height and weight limits should be in booster seats.
Additionally, the Office of Traffic Safety is reminding parents that distracted driving is dangerous driving, and urges people to stay off their phones and stay focused while driving. According to data on distracted driving in Minnesota, numbers have declined in the past decade, but DPS said there is "improvement needed":
- In 2010, there were:
- 76 distraction-related traffic fatalities
- 236 suspected serious injuries
- In 2021, preliminary figures show there were:
- 27 distraction-related traffic fatalities
- 154 suspected serious injuries
For more information on back-to-school safety reminders and guidelines, visit https://dps.mn.gov/Pages/default.aspx.
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