ST. LOUIS – Transportation changes with Saint Louis Public Schools could cause confusion for drivers as students head back to school soon.
“So as we get closer to the back-to-school time, it is important that drivers make sure they’re slowing down, putting their cell phones down and paying attention in school zones,” Nick Chabarria from AAA said.
Chabarria reminds everyone that it could take awhile to adjust to new traffic patterns.
“We may see students congregating in different areas waiting for buses than they previously have. Walking in different areas, maybe walking more to school, riding more to school and just a reminder for drivers out there,” he said.
Mixing distracted drivers and distracted walkers is a recipe for disaster. According to AAA, one-third of child pedestrian fatalities occur between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.
“We need drivers to be really attentive when they’re out on the roads. We’re going to have more pedestrians and more bicyclists out and about, especially in those early morning and late afternoon hours, than they have seen in the last few months,” Chabarria noted.
AAA is also warning pedestrians and bicycles about an alarming trend we’re seeing across the state.
“In Missouri, since 2014, we’ve seen pedestrians and bicyclists involved in fatalities rise by almost 90 percent. It is attributed to a number of things, including distraction by drivers, speeding has increased, of course,” Chabarria explained.
He says it is also a good time to remember Missouri’s hands-free law.
“Voice-to-text and hands-free phone use is still permitted. But this is the second school year now that the law has been in effect, and make sure you’re putting your phone down or on a mount when you’re behind the wheel,” Chabarria said.
