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It seems like summer just began, and it’s already back-to-school time in Jackson-Madison County. Morning commuters are going to have to re-adjust to the presence of school busses back on the road. Officials in Jackson-Madison County are providing parents and motorists with some basic reminders of road safety during the school season.

Drivers should always be mindful of pedestrians, no matter their size or age. When school starts, drivers need to watch out for children walking to and from school. Some children begin walking to and from school at a very early age. Hopefully, smaller children are accompanied by at least one adult, but this is not always the case. Small children can be hard to see, especially during a hurried glance. Always obey posted speed limits in school zones, and stop at stop signs, thoroughly checking intersections, in order to prevent tragic accidents from occurring this school year.

In addition to pedestrians, motorists also need to get used to school busses populating the roads in the early mornings and afternoon. The busses are equipped with a GPS device, to ensure safety of the children on board. School busses have to make regular stops along their route in order to pick up and drop off students. Vehicles sharing the road with busses need to take some extra precautions to ensure the safety of the precious cargo.

All school busses receive regular maintenance, in order to provide the safest transportation available for students. Busses are tracked along their routes with a GPS device, and include audio and video surveillance on board for maximum transparency. Should the bus driver go off route for any reason, a signal is sent to a computer system, where it the issue can be addressed by administration. The video and audio surveillance serve a similar purpose as the GPS device; child safety. Any dangerous conduct on the bus can be reviewed, and consequences can be determined for guilty parties, in order to provide the safest transportation service possible.

Article Written by Marisa O’Connor