THP Gears Up for Back to School Enforcement

NASHVILLE---The Tennessee Highway Patrol is working to make sure that school children are safe in the school zone. As thousands of students of all ages return to the classroom on foot and in school buses, motorists need to be extra cautious in and around schools zones.

 

“One of the first lessons a child learns as they begin their formal education is how to be safe going to and from school,” stated Department of Safety Commissioner Dave Mitchell. “The goal of the Tennessee Highway Patrol is to help local law enforcement and schools protect children from drivers who may be distracted, impatient or careless.”

 

Motorists and children should heed State Troopers’ message to “Be alert! Slow down! Be safe in the school zone!” THP’s back to school enforcement effort includes cracking down on motorists who disregard laws designed to protect children, and monitoring schools zones and bus stops to help keep children safe as they travel to and from school. Remember, the speed limit is 15 mph in school zones and the fine for speeding in a school zone is up to $500. It’s also against the law to pass a school bus when stopped and receiving or discharging passengers and the driver can be fined not less than $250 and up to $1,000.

 

Since 2006, there has been an 11.5 percent decrease in the number of crashes occurring in school zones between the hours of 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. and the hours of 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. There was also a 17.4 percent decline in the number of school bus-related crashes between those same hours.

 

“Motorists need to remember that a school zone is more than just the 15-mile per-hour-zone around a school. It’s anywhere our children travel,” stated Tennessee Highway Patrol Colonel Mike Walker. “Children riding with parents or friends need to remember to buckle up properly. That means kids in seats belts, young kids in booster seats and little kids in a child safety seats.”

 

Each day, 25 million children in the United States ride school buses, including 600,000 in Tennessee, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The National Safety Council (NSC) reports approximately 29 students were killed while they were entering or exiting a bus in the U.S. last year. Close to 800 children are killed annually and many more injured going to and from school in a vehicle other than a school bus, according to the NSC.

 

For more facts, figures & safety tips, please see the attached Safety Tips and visit our Web site: www.TN.Gov/Safety.