When Harvard’s schools reopen next week, the number of children and teenagers on the town’s sidewalk-free roads will spike in the mornings and afternoons, as will the number of cars at the entrances of the Bromfield and Hildreth Elementary schools at drop-off and pickup times.
Both the Harvard police and AAA Northeast have two words for motorists: Slow down. Drivers should stay alert in neighborhoods and school zones and be especially vigilant for pedestrians during before- and after-school hours, they say. The afternoon hours are particularly dangerous for walking children, wrote Mary Maguire, AAA Northeast director of public and legislative affairs, in a mid-August press release: Over the past decade, nearly one-third of child pedestrian fatalities occurred during after-school hours between 3 and 7 p.m.
Harvard police officers Charles Genetti and Tim Schaeffer offered similar advice this week in a meeting with the Press, noting that drivers need to be especially alert for kids walking or biking along Harvard’s narrow roads beyond the town center. And never pass a school bus from behind, they said, whether stopped or moving.
Here are additional tips from local police, the AAA, and the National Safety Council:
- Observe speed limits. Speed limits in school zones are reduced for a reason. In Harvard the posted limit on Mass. Ave. in front of HES is 20 miles per hour, 24 hours a day, whether or not the yellow school light is flashing. According to AAA’s Maguire, a pedestrian accidentally struck by a vehicle traveling 25 mph is nearly two-thirds less likely to be killed compared to a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling 35 mph. “A difference between 25 mph and 35 mph can save a life,” she wrote.
- Be cautious near school buses: If the yellow or red lights are flashing and the stop arm is extended, state law requires you to stop. The area 10 feet around a school bus is the most dangerous for children; stop far enough back to allow them space to safely enter and exit the bus. Be alert; children often are unpredictable, and they tend to ignore hazards and take risks.
- Eliminate distractions. Children often cross the road unexpectedly and may emerge suddenly between two parked cars or in front of a school bus. Research shows that taking your eyes off the road for just two seconds doubles your chances of crashing.
- Reverse responsibly. Every vehicle has blind spots. Check for children on the sidewalk, in the driveway, and around your vehicle before slowly backing up. Teach your children to never play in, under, or around vehicles—even those that are parked.
- Talk to your teen. Car crashes are the leading cause of death for teens in the United States, and more than one-quarter of fatal crashes involving teen drivers occur during the after-school hours of 3 to 7 p.m. The AAA has additional evidence-based guidance and tips for teen drivers at TeenDriving.AAA.com.
- Come to a complete stop. Research shows that more than one-third of drivers roll through stop signs in school zones or neighborhoods. Always come to a complete stop, checking carefully for children on sidewalks and in crosswalks before proceeding.
- Watch for bicycles. Children on bikes are often inexperienced, unsteady, and unpredictable. Slow down and allow at least 3 feet of passing distance between your vehicle and the bicycle. Children who ride a bicycle to school should wear a properly fitted bicycle helmet on every ride. Find videos, expert advice, and safety tips at ShareTheRoad.AAA.com.
