AAA East Central’s School’s Open-Drive Carefully campaign encourages parents to talk about the importance of school zone safety with their children and teen drivers. It also advises motorists to take extra caution when traveling through school zones or near school buses especially during before- and after-school hours. Children are particularly vulnerable during the afternoon hours following their school day. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 64% of child pedestrians killed in traffic crashes occurred during the weekday (6 a.m. Monday to 6 p.m. Friday) in 2021.

“School zone speed limits and crossing guards are in place to save lives,” said Terri Rae Anthony, safety advisor for AAA East Central. “Since children can move quickly and cross the road unexpectedly, it is important to obey speed limits and be ready to stop at a moment’s notice.”

Speed is a crucial factor in protecting the lives of students as they make their way to class. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling at 20 mph is about two-thirds less likely to be killed as compared to a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling at 30 mph. Moreover, nearly 1-in-5 children 14 and younger who die in traffic crashes are pedestrians.

In addition to slowing down, AAA offers the following advice for motorists to keep children safe as they navigate their way through school zones:

AAA’s School’s Open-Drive Carefully campaign was launched nationally in 1946 to help reduce the number of school-related pedestrian injuries and fatalities. The campaign kicks off each fall and continues throughout the school year to remind motorists to watch out for children as they travel to and from school.