FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA) – Fort Wayne Police Department Public Information Officer Jonathan Cutler is sharing five safety tips and tricks for the back-to-school season.
Obey traffic signals
“Follow the instructions of the crossing guard,” he said. “Make sure you don’t proceed unless the crossing guard has left the intersection and the children are out of the roadway.”
Wait for the crossing guard to finish their responsibilities
“Crossing guards are not there to slow you down,” Cutler said. “They’re protecting someone’s child. So, imagine that’s your child.”
“It is a dangerous job, so watch for the crossing guard to step out when they step into the street, even before they get that stop sign up because they all, they’re all equipped with handheld stop signs, but as soon as you step into the street you need to stop.”
Always yield to pedestrians
“It doesn’t matter what color your light is; they have the right of way,” Cutler said.
“I’m not saying that if you have a green light that you have to stop and not let people who are in the roadway cross, but if they’re already in the crosswalk, it’s the driver’s responsibility to stop and allow them to cross.”
Never pass a vehicle stopped at the crosswalk
“We had that happen a few years ago, and one of our crossing guards actually got hit,” Cutler said.
Stop at the solid line behind the crosswalk, not in it
“Keep in mind that children are unpredictable, so it’s very possible that they can dart into the roadway at any moment,” Cutler said.
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