Chatham Police Urge Back-to-School Traffic Safety

With Chatham schools set to open Monday, the Chatham Borough Police Department Traffic Safety Unit is reminding drivers that school buses will be back on the roads, and students will be waiting for buses and walking to school.

"Motorists are urged to drive safely and are reminded that the Chatham Borough Police will be strictly enforcing speed limits, passed school bus violations in and around school areas and violations of motorists failing to stop for pedestrians," a notice on the borough website says.

Police shared the following safety tips:

Bus Safety Tips for Children

• When getting off a bus, look to be sure no vehicles are passing on the shoulder (side of the road).
• Before crossing the street, take five “giant steps” out from the front of the bus, and make eye contact with the driver.
• Wait for the driver to signal that it’s safe to cross.
• Look left-right-left when coming to the edge of the bus to make sure traffic is stopped. Keep watching traffic when crossing.

• Cross only at intersections or crosswalks.
• Obey all traffic signs and signals.
• Do not enter a crosswalk if a vehicle is too close or moving too fast to stop safely.
• Remember, the law requires pedestrians take responsibility for their own safety.

• Motorists must stop at least 25 feet from a school bus that is displaying red flashing lights and/or its stop arm is extended when approaching from the rear and from the opposite direction on undivided roads.
• Red flashing lights on buses indicates students are either entering or exiting the bus.
• Motorists are not required to stop for a bus if the bus is on the opposite side of a separated roadway (median, etc.)—but they should remain alert for children.
• Altering a route or schedule to avoid a bus is one way motorists can help improve safety. In doing so, motorists won’t find themselves behind a bus and as a result, potentially putting children at risk.
• Watch for school crossing patrols and pedestrians. Reduce speeds in and around school zones.
• Watch and stop for pedestrians—the law applies to all street corners, for both marked and unmarked crosswalks (all street corners). Treat every corner as a crosswalk.