This segment is sponsored
by Michigan Auto Law.
It's back to school time and that means
those school buses back on the roads,
kids on bikes and general school
zone traffic to be thinking about.
So let's talk safety with Michigan
Auto Law Attorney Brandon Hewitt.
Brandon, we get Rusty during
the summer months, don't we?
Just bears repeating.
We sure do. And this is the right time
to get a reminder because obviously
the most important thing that we
care about out there is these kids.
So, Yep, time to refresh our
safety, safety measures.
All right, with that in mind,
let's start with those school buses.
There's different colored lights.
They mean different things.
We need to know it all.
The simple stuff is what we all
know is when you see flashing red
lights anytime but the on school bus,
it means you got to stop and it's
not stop right next to the bus.
You have to give at least 20 feet
for a flashing red school bus.
What is really interesting now
as of October of last year.
So all these school buses in effect today,
they could be equipped with
cameras on those stop signs that
that jut out from the bus.
So there's going to be little argument.
From anybody who says that
they stopped but didn't.
They're going to pull that camera
into court and you're going to get
that ticket and have to pay it.
Talk about penalties in
the school buses zones.
The the big one obviously is if you
cause a serious injury or fatality.
That's always a big penalty.
But it it's almost automatic in a
school bus zone, 15 years at least,
you know, causing a serious injury.
School zones though, are pretty much an
automatic doubling of your traffic fine.
So similar to construction zones.
And just to know,
when you're in school zones, the speed
limit automatically drops right away.
So whatever speed limit,
you are traveling on that Rd beforehand
when you get into that school zone,
and that's 1000.
Be from the school.
It's going to drop to 20 miles an hour.
Less than that, it's usually 25.
You can bet that's going to be about 25 mph.
Not usually less than that.
And it's always in effect,
whether it's posted or not.
School zone time start 30 minutes
before school starts in 30
minutes after school lets out.
And that's usually,
you know,
7:30 in the morning till about 3:34,
o'clock in the afternoon.
So if you're passing the school
during those times,
make sure that you're driving
25 miles an hour or less.
Lot of kids ride their bikes to
school, and it's a dicey time
to have a bicycle on the road.
Talk a bit about bicycling.
Wrestling is always dangerous
and you know in Grand Rapids and
West Michigan we are a very bike
friendly bike heavy community.
A lot of these schools you're
going to see kids biking to school.
The general rule of the general law
here is that you have to give at
least three feet of passing room.
So you know when you see a bike you got,
either you stay behind the bike or
make sure that there is enough room
for you to to go around the bike in
a significant way that's not going to
cause them harm or make them feel.
Unsafe to where they get,
you know, unbalanced or tippy,
it's it's your job to share
the road with the bikes,
even more so than their job
to share the road with you.
They they can't really see you,
so just stay behind them or make sure
there's plenty of room to pass there.
You put together a really great list
of some sort of general safe driving
during back to school time tips.
Can you run through some of those?
It's it's the general
rules that we always give.
But if there's ever an important
time to be aware of not driving
distracted, it's it's now.
There are not just cars on the road.
There are kids walking,
there are kids biking.
There are more cars on the road for
parents dropping their kids off to school.
We all know that texting and driving,
driving distracted increases
your risk of 23 times.
Make sure that you're rested.
I know that we're all prepping our
kids right now and sending them
to bed early and waking them up.
Really try to get them ready for school,
but the same applies to you as the parent,
right?
Make sure that you're rested
before you get them off to school,
that you're not drowsy behind the wheel.
Obviously try to obey the speed limits.
Wear your seat belt.
Be a good model for your children
to wear their seat belts if you can.
Preach them all day long that they have to,
you know,
put their seat belts on in the back seat.
But if they see Mom or dad not
putting their seat belt on,
that's a stronger signal than just
words and telling them what to do so.
This model good behavior.
You know when we talk to kids and
teenagers in high schools about
distracted driving they say they
know all about it and they don't do
it and their biggest problem and
the biggest concern is watching
their parents Dr distracted.
So just be a good model for your
kids and you know do the same
thing to get them off to school
safely this this this fall.
Alright
well we'll put all of these
tips in this advice on our
website 13 on yourside.com.
But if you want more information
or to contact an attorney,
visit michiganautolaw.com.
Thanks Brandon.
As always, thank you.