New School Year Driver Awareness Reminder Slow Down when Driving Within School Zones

Madison, NJ – August 27, 2019 – With the new school year starting in Madison in one week, on Tuesday, September 3, 2019, we would like to remind residents of some things that come with the new school year, as it pertains to driving.

• Younger children are more likely to be excited to see their friends, meet their new teachers, and get their seats in freshly decorated classrooms. Younger children are also more likely to make mistakes around roads;
• Many children will be starting new schools;
• They will be learning new walking paths, either to the school or to a bus stop;
• They may not have given themselves enough time on the new route, and will be hurrying;
• Their parents will be learning new driving patterns at an unfamiliar school;
• Older, high school children may be driving their own cars to school for the first time, also struggling with new traffic routes, congested school zones, and even more congested and confusing parking lots;
• Some schools have adjusted their drop-off or pick-up zones. School crossing guard posts may have been changed to meet demands;

All of this can have a ripple-effect to other drivers who will be coping with the actions, inactions, or bad actions of children and drivers.

The Borough of Madison and the Madison Police Department wants to take this opportunity to remind everyone to be especially aware as they operate their personal vehicles and work vehicles. The Madison Police Department will be strictly enforcing distracted driving. The next couple of weeks can be challenging. Please:

• Watch your speed. A couple of mph faster will not make a real difference in your arrival time;
• Scan sidewalks and parked cars for signs of movement;
• Keep a safe following distance. Even if you anticipated something, the driver in front of you may not be as alert as you are.
• Be particularly alert at intersections. Practice ‘covering your brake’ when called for;
• Put your phone down if you are operating a car.

A PDF of the release can be found here.