State Police Urge Driver Caution

As School Resumes

As schoolchildren resume classes at the start of the new school year, state police are reminding motorists to be aware that school buses, more pedestrians, and additional bicyclists are again on the roads.

Drivers should use extra caution and stay alert amid the presence of children who are hurrying to and from school, according to state police spokeswoman Trooper First Class Karen O’Connor.

“The Connecticut State Police remind all motorists that their primary obligation when they get behind the wheel of a car should be to obey the rules of the road and drive safely. Because distracted driving inhibits concentration, motorists should avoid any distractions, including cellphone use, when traveling on Connecticut’s roadways,” she said.

State law requires that motorists stop for school buses that are flashing red warning lights, whether drivers are approaching or following a school bus, she said. Failure to obey that law puts children at risk and carries penalties for drivers, she added.

Children who are injured in school bus accidents typically are injured when they are entering or exiting a school bus, she said.

State police will be patrolling school zones and school bus routes to ensure that motorists obey traffic laws covering the safety of school children, according to TFC O’Connor.