ECSO Urge Motorists to Use Caution as School Resumes

The Effingham County Sheriff’s Office urges motorists to be extra vigilant for pedestrians as county schools resume classes Monday.

Citizens will see deputies in school zones and near bus stops helping ensure pedestrian safety as well as conducting traffic enforcement. The Effingham County Sheriff’s Office also wants to remind drivers that when bus lights and stop signs are activated, vehicles must stop in both directions, unless they are separated by a median.

There will be zero tolerance for speeding in school zones.

Below are some safety tips from the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office:

Pedestrians
• Always cross on marked crosswalks.Vehicles anticipate people in these locations.
• Obey any pedestrian signals and look left-right-left; you should make sure the road is clear.
• If a vehicle approaches, make eye contact with the driver; make sure he/she sees you before you go.
• Look before walking past stopped vehicles; you cannot assume all cars see you in their lanes of travel. Be sure all lanes are clear first.
• Remember that bicyclists are not considered pedestrians unless they are walking their bikes. Otherwise, they are considered vehicles.

Drivers
• Yield to pedestrians in crosswalks and at intersections.
• Be prepared to stop at all marked crosswalks. Reduce speed in areas with crosswalks.
• Be alert for bicyclists
• Come to a complete stop if pedestrians are crossing or preparing to cross.
• Wait until pedestrians have crossed at least one lane past the lane you are in before resuming travel.
• Never pass another vehicle that has stopped or is slowing down at a crosswalk.

School bus safety
• When you are waiting for the school bus, you should wait at the bus top, and stand at least five big steps from the curb.
• When you get off the bus, look to the rear of the bus before you step off the bottom step. Take five giant steps straight out the bus door, and out of the danger zone.
• Make sure you have eye contact with the driver, and wait for the driver to signal you before you cross in front of the bus.
• Never go back for anything you have left on the bus.
• Never bend down near or under the bus.

About ecsosheriff

The Effingham County Sheriff’s Office, works toward creating a high quality of life in the community by actively working with citizens to reduce crime and the fear of crime and to protect the lives and property of citizens from criminal act or traffic mishap. In order to accomplish our mission, we will concentrate our efforts on cooperative proactive crime prevention measures, engage in visible and directed patrol to deter crime and traffic problems; to utilize human initiative, systematic and thorough techniques and available technology to identify, apprehend and bring to justice criminal offenders; to recover and return stolen property to victims as quickly as possible, to move traffic as safely and expeditiously as possible, generally provide assistance to citizens in urgent situations, and to provide the highest level of public service directed toward community problem solving. The Effingham County Sheriff’s Office will enforce the law in a fair and impartial manner, recognizing both the statutory and judicial limitations of police authority and the constitutional rights of all persons. It is not the role of the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office to legislate, render legal judgments, or punish. The Effingham County Sheriff’s Office serves the people of the County by providing law enforcement service in a professional and courteous manner and it is to these people that the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office is ultimately responsible.

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