Back-to-School Videos You Won't Want to Miss

It’s back-to-school time!

Some parents love it, and some parents hate it.

Some parents make hilarious videos about it.

From the Holderness family, the people that brought you the Christmas jammies video this past year, comes “Back to Class,” a parody of Sir Mix A Lot’s “Baby Got Back.”

This one is dedicated to the teachers, bus drivers, administrators, and support staff who teach and love the children.

Click here to watch the video.

On a more serious note, with children returning to school drivers, need to be more cautious.

Child pedestrians are most often hurt in the months of September and October and children aged 10-14 years have the highest incidence of pedestrian-related injuries.

The roads are busier and drivers need to adjust their driving routine to help predict and prevent these injuries.

New drivers – and experienced drivers as well – need to be aware of school zone signage and reduce speed in school zones. Even a small reduction in speed can be significant. Drivers should be careful not only during the day, but also in the evening when other school activities may be taking place.

Drivers need to scan both sides of the crosswalk and wait for children to complete their crossing before proceeding. The most common child pedestrian action that results in injury or death is at an intersection, followed by running onto the road.

You should also change lanes early for bicycles. They should be treated as another vehicle so give them ample space. Be vigilant as many kids bike, ride skateboards, scooters, or roller blade on the road.

When it comes to buses, be prepared to stop. Motorists traveling in both directions must stop for the school bus when the red lights are flashing. Be sure to stop far enough away from the bus to allow the children to load or unload. If the lights are yellow, it means that the bus is preparing to stop. Remember, buses also stop at all railroad crossings.

Buses are a very safe mode of transportation for children, but are often overlooked by distracted drivers who don’t notice the lights. Be aware of children crossing the road or getting on or off the bus. Never pass a bus.

If you are driving children to school drop them off in a safe area away from traffic – most schools have designated drop off zones.

When leaving a location, try your best to drive forward – instead of backing out. The blind area to the rear of vehicle is much larger than the one to the front making it more difficult to see if there is a child behind your vehicle. 

As you approach any vehicle you cannot see through, look for the feet of a pedestrian about to walk in front of you or for the wheels of a bicycle.

And remember, always leave in plenty of time to get to your destination – running late can cause aggressive driving behaviors. Parents should talk to their new (or not new) drivers about speed and children crossing the road. More experienced drivers should also be patient with less experienced drivers who may be going the speed limit or less to make sure they are safe.

Drivers need to keep in mind that younger children often lack the cognitive and physical skills to make safe judgments about traffic. Children are also physically smaller which makes it harder for drivers to see them and for them to see us.   

We at Monaco Ford wish all the teachers, students, and parents a safe and happy school year!