This Tuesday (8/15/2023) our area students will be headed back to school. With three schools in Edgewater, Edgewater Elementary (24th and Depew), Lumberg Elementary (Pierce and 22nd) and Jefferson Junior/Senior High (24th and Pierce), drivers have to be extra careful as area students walk, bike, and drive to school.
Here are some great tips for drivers from Bicycle Colorado:
- Go slowly. Speed is the number one factor in whether a pedestrian walks away from a collision with a car. If a person walking is hit by a driver going 20 miles per hour, they have a 9 in 10 chance of surviving. If the driver is going 40 mph, the person walking only has a 1 in 10 chance of surviving. Slow down, especially near schools and in residential areas.
- Watch driveways. We teach elementary school children that the safest place to ride their bikes is on the sidewalk. Make sure to slow down and check twice at driveways and intersections for children riding on the sidewalk.
- Wait for school buses. Never pass a stopped school bus, and watch out for children crossing the street.
- Stop completely. With all the weight under your power when driving a car, it’s especially important to make a complete stop at stop signs. Children are more difficult to see, and sometimes move fast! Take the extra two seconds at stop signs to look for kids
- Talk to your teen driver. Drivers have a special responsibility on the road to make sure that people walking and biking get home safe. Talk to your teen drivers about the dangers of driving too fast, and share these tips with them.
Read more of the Bicycle Colorado article here.
Joel has been a resident of Edgewater, Colorado with his family since 2012. He is the Executive Director of local education nonprofit Edgewater Collective and Editor of the Edgewater Echo.
Thanks for this post and safety reminders. Complete Stops at STOP signs is an amazing concept! (for kids and cars). Speeds on 24th between Harlan and Ames are way too fast year round.