"Thousands of children walk to and from school and school buses each and every day" said Police Chief Patrick M. Brophy. “Everyone who drives has a responsibility to be especially careful during this busy time for youngsters.”
Hundreds of young children are killed each year in collisions with motor vehicles, and thousands more are severely injured, the chief said. Children tend to be at greater risk during the back-to-school period because they tend to be thinking more about seeing old friends than watching for cars and trucks. Others are going to school for the first time.
To help protect children, Chief Brophy offered these six tips from AAA New York, the local AAA affiliate:
• Look all ways before crossing the street.
• Cross only at corners.
• Obey police officers, school crossing guards, members of AAA School Safety Patrols, and traffic signals.
• Watch for turning cars.
• Be especially alert in bad weather.
• Play away from traffic.
AAA New York provides automotive, travel and financial services to more than 1.5 million members in New York City, and in Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Orange, Dutchess, Ulster, Sullivan, Chenango, Delaware, Otsego, Schoharie, Herkimer and parts of Lewis, Madison and Oneida counties.