Monterey Park police offer back-to-school driving safety tips – Pasadena Star News

With the school year approaching, the Monterey Park Police Department reminds all drivers to make safety a top priority in the coming months.

With its recent press release, “Drive Smart During Back-to-School Month: Slow Down and Watch the Kids,” the MPPD is urging drivers to obey speed limits, slow down in school zones, and follow regulations as students head back to school.

The MPPD has issued some important tips that drivers should keep in mind, especially in school zones.

• Slow down and obey the speed limit.
• Follow school policies and procedures when dropping off and picking up children.
• Stop at school buses and watch carefully for children rushing to or from the bus;
• Avoid blocking the crosswalk while waiting to turn right.
• Teach parents whose children walk or bike to school safe walking and cycling behaviors, such as looking left and right before crossing the street, using sidewalks when permitted and available, and crossing the street at marked crosswalks with stop signs or traffic lights.
• Be sure to stop when a school bus is flashing red lights or when there is a stop sign in the school zone; and
• On two-lane roads without a median or center turning lane, drivers must stop in both directions.

“During the month of back-to-school, we should make driving safety a top priority to protect our children,” Monterey Park Police Chief Scott Wiese said in the release. “We urge all drivers to slow down, stay alert and use extra caution when traveling through school zones. By doing so, we can create a safer environment for everyone and foster a community where safety is a shared responsibility.”

For more information, visit https://www.montereypark.ca.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=1030.

Originally published: August 12, 2024 at 5:27 pm