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As summer comes to an end and students across Georgia head back to the classroom, roads around schools, neighborhoods, and bus stops become much busier. Parents are navigating morning drop-offs, school buses are making frequent stops, teenagers are driving to school, and children are walking or biking near traffic.
For Georgia drivers and parents, the beginning of a new school year is a good time to refresh safe-driving habits.
At Kevin Patrick Law, we represent individuals and families who have been injured in car accidents throughout Georgia. We understand how quickly an ordinary trip can turn into a serious collision. Taking a few extra precautions during the back-to-school season can help protect students, parents, pedestrians, and everyone sharing Georgia’s roads.
Here are some important back-to-school safe driving tips for Georgia drivers and parents.
School zones require a driver’s full attention. Children can be difficult to see, and they do not always behave predictably around traffic. A child might suddenly enter a crosswalk, step out from between parked vehicles, or run toward a parent waiting across the street.
Pay close attention to posted school-zone speed limits, flashing signals, crossing guards, and changes in traffic patterns.
Reducing your speed gives you more time to recognize a potential hazard and react appropriately. When approaching a school, anticipate that a child could enter the roadway unexpectedly and be prepared to stop.
A few extra seconds can make an enormous difference.
The beginning of the school year also means school buses are once again a regular sight on Georgia roads.
Drivers should exercise particular caution when approaching buses that are loading or unloading students. Georgia law establishes requirements for motorists approaching stopped school buses, including circumstances in which motorists must stop.
Never attempt to rush around a school bus simply because you are late for work, an appointment, or school drop-off.
Children may be crossing the roadway in front of or behind the bus, where they can be difficult for approaching motorists to see. Drivers should remain alert and give school buses and students plenty of space.
A little patience is far more important than saving a minute or two on your commute.
Distracted driving can be dangerous anywhere, but it can be especially hazardous in school zones and neighborhoods where children are present.
Georgia’s Hands-Free Law generally prohibits drivers from holding or supporting a phone with their body while operating a motor vehicle. Drivers should go beyond simply complying with the law and make avoiding distractions a priority.
Don’t text, read emails, check social media, or scroll through notifications while driving.
Even a brief distraction can cause you to miss a crossing guard, pedestrian, bicyclist, stopped vehicle, or child entering the roadway.
Parents should also remember that their behavior behind the wheel sets an example for younger passengers and future drivers.
Not every student gets to school in a car or school bus.
Many Georgia students walk or bike to school, which means drivers should pay particular attention around crosswalks, sidewalks, intersections, bike lanes, and residential streets.
Before making a turn, carefully check for pedestrians and bicyclists. When backing out of a driveway or parking space, look in every direction before moving.
Drivers should be particularly cautious during the early morning hours, when reduced visibility or sun glare can make pedestrians and cyclists more difficult to see.
Never assume that someone on foot or on a bicycle sees your vehicle.
One of the simplest back-to-school driving safety tips is also one of the easiest to overlook: give yourself more time.
School traffic can add significant delays to a morning commute. Bus routes, school drop-off lines, construction, and increased congestion can all affect travel times.
A driver who is running late may be more tempted to speed, follow another vehicle too closely, make an aggressive lane change, or rush through an intersection.
Try leaving home a few minutes earlier, especially during the first several weeks of school while families adjust to new schedules.
Arriving a few minutes late is better than taking an unnecessary risk on the road.
School drop-off and pick-up areas can become hectic quickly.
Parents should follow the school’s designated traffic pattern and instructions from school personnel. Avoid double-parking, blocking crosswalks, making sudden U-turns, or stopping in areas where children must cross moving traffic.
Whenever possible, children should exit the vehicle from the safest side and use designated walkways and crossings.
Drivers should also avoid backing into crowded areas unless absolutely necessary.
Saving a few seconds is never worth putting a child or another parent at risk.
For Georgia families with teenage drivers, the beginning of the school year is an excellent opportunity to discuss safe driving expectations.
Remind teen drivers about the importance of obeying speed limits, wearing seat belts, putting phones away, and leaving enough time to reach school without rushing.
Passengers can also create distractions for inexperienced drivers. Conversations, loud music, phones, and other activity inside a vehicle can compete for a young driver’s attention.
Parents should establish clear expectations before the school year gets busy.
The message should be simple: getting there safely is always more important than getting there quickly.
Back-to-school season in Georgia can bring heavy rain, thunderstorms, bright sun, and changing road conditions.
Wet roads can increase stopping distances and reduce traction. Heavy rainfall may also make lane markings, pedestrians, cyclists, and other vehicles more difficult to see.
Drivers should reduce their speed when conditions require it and increase the distance between their vehicle and the vehicle ahead.
This is also a good time to check your vehicle’s tires, brakes, headlights, taillights, and windshield wipers.
Preparing your vehicle before a problem develops can help make the daily school commute safer.
The trip to school may only take a few minutes, but short trips still require proper safety precautions.
Drivers and passengers should wear their seat belts every time the vehicle is moving. Parents should also make sure younger children are secured in an appropriate child safety seat or booster seat as required.
Don’t allow the familiarity of a daily commute to create a false sense of security.
A collision can occur a few blocks from home just as easily as it can happen during a long highway trip.
Unfortunately, even the safest driver cannot control the behavior of everyone else on the road.
If you are involved in a Georgia car accident, prioritize everyone’s safety and seek appropriate medical attention for anyone who may be injured.
When circumstances allow, document the accident scene, exchange necessary information with the other driver, identify witnesses, and report the collision as required.
Photos and videos of the vehicles, roadway, traffic signals, skid marks, and visible injuries may also become important later.
Be careful about assuming that you are uninjured simply because you do not immediately feel significant pain. Some symptoms can become more noticeable after the initial shock of an accident wears off.
If another person’s negligence caused the collision, you may also have questions about medical bills, lost wages, property damage, insurance coverage, and your right to pursue compensation.
The beginning of a new school year should be an exciting time for Georgia families—not a time marked by a preventable car accident.
At Kevin Patrick Law, we help people who have been injured because of another person’s negligence understand their legal options. If you or a family member has been injured in a car accident in Georgia, our team can evaluate the circumstances of the collision and help you determine what steps may be available.
Insurance claims can become complicated, particularly when an accident results in significant injuries, medical expenses, missed time from work, or disputes about who was responsible.
Having an experienced Georgia personal injury attorney evaluate your situation can help you better understand your rights and options.
Contact Kevin Patrick Law today to discuss your Georgia car accident case and learn more about how we may be able to help.
As students return to classrooms across Georgia, every driver has a role to play in keeping our roads safe. Slow down in school zones, pay attention to school buses, eliminate distractions, watch for pedestrians and bicyclists, and give yourself additional time during the morning and afternoon rush.
A few extra minutes and a little additional attention behind the wheel can help make this school year safer for everyone.
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