Commissioner Noack urges drivers to be aware of school zone safety, students

THE WOODLANDS, TX - School is back in session, and Precinct 3 wants to help keep students, parents as well as other motorists and pedestrians as safe as possible through education and increased awareness of school zones.

Here are some tips, courtesy of the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office:

• Give students extra room, and don’t assume they are paying attention to traffic. Students are frequently on their mobile devices or listening to electronic devices and may not be paying attention to their surroundings.

• Don’t block a crosswalk when stopped at a red light or stop sign.

• Texting while driving is illegal in Texas. Be mindful of this law whenever driving, especially around school zones.

• Follow the direction of school crossing guards.

• Watch for children on bicycles traveling to and from schools, and be extra vigilant.

• Always obey speed limits and traffic laws in school zones.

• Reduce speed when you spot a school bus and know children may unexpectedly step into the roadway without checking for oncoming traffic.

• Be careful around railroad crossings. School buses are legally required to stop at them.

• Know your school bus laws. According to Texas law, if a bus has alternating flashing red signals visible from the front or rear, drivers MUST stop before reaching the bus. Drivers can only proceed if the flashing lights are no longer activated, the driver signals you to proceed, or the bus has resumed driving. Approaching drivers do NOT have to stop for a school bus that is operating a visual signal if the road is separated by a physical barrier or intervening space. If a highway is only divided by a left-turn lane, it is not considered divided, and drivers must stop for school buses.

• Drivers who illegally pass a school bus face fines of up to $1,250 for the first offense. For people convicted of this offense more than once, the law allows for the person’s driver’s license to be suspended for up to six months (a ticket for this offense cannot be dismissed through defensive driving). Criminal charges are possible if a driver causes someone serious bodily injury.