DEMING — As Las Cruces Public Schools students return for the fall semester, the Las Cruces Police Department and New Mexico Department of Transportation are reminding drivers, students and families to use extra caution near campuses, bus stops and crosswalks.
Motorists are urged to slow down and follow all posted school-zone speed limits. In Las Cruces, drivers should be especially aware of the 15 mph limit in school zones. Drivers should not pass other vehicles, change lanes or make U-turns in school zones or near crosswalks.
Both agencies stress that drivers must stop for a school bus displaying flashing red lights or an extended stop arm. The area around a bus is especially dangerous for children who are boarding or exiting, and drivers should watch carefully for children crossing in front of buses or stepping into the roadway from between parked vehicles.
Drivers are also reminded to obey crossing guards, yield to pedestrians in marked crosswalks, keep crosswalks clear and avoid distractions. Cell phone use should be completely hands-free while driving.
Students and families can help make the trip to and from school safer by using sidewalks and marked crosswalks whenever possible. Younger children who ride the bus may benefit from being escorted to and from their designated bus stop. Students should avoid playing in or near the roadway and should limit distractions from phones and earphones while walking or crossing streets.
Students who ride bicycles should wear helmets, follow traffic laws and walk their bicycles across streets in designated crosswalks. Teen drivers are encouraged to avoid speeding and distractions from phones, loud music, food and passengers, while everyone in a vehicle should wear a safety belt.
Parents and students are also asked to report threats against a school or individual to school staff or police immediately and avoid sharing unverified information on social media.
John Krehbiel – Bravo Mic Communications News, LLC – John@bravomic.com
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