It’s the beginning of the year 2025 and one thing for sure is that it's back to the basics that starts with back to school for our children.
I know that many among us are still having the hangover of the Christmas and New Year holiday celebrations.
It is normal and understood, but with the majority of parents getting involved in the back to school errands it is befitting that we share some ideas around the importance of reverting to the old settings or rejigging our minds to adopt the appropriate driving techniques when taking our children to the schools whether you’re dropping off or just passing through.
Staying alert can help prevent accidents and keep our roads safe for everyone.
There are different scenarios for each one of us and l will try to cover them all as much as possible.
*Taking your kids to a boarding school
*Before embarking on the trip check your car if the oil levels are okay, the lights if lighting properly, the wipers if working normally and the breaks if breaking effectively
*Fill up the fuel tank a day before departure and request the attendants to check if your battery water level and the radiator coolant is okay
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*Start the journey very early in the morning when the traffic is very low to avoid the congestion that usually makes people lose patience
*Switch the child safety lock on the passenger doors once your kids are inside the car and ask them to put on the seat belts. Avoid allowing any of your kids to take the front passenger seat
*Exercise extreme patience while driving on the roads and avoid any distractions such as texting or starting an online Google meeting
*Avoid applying emergency brakes as much as possible as that leaves your children in a mild shock that takes time to go away
*If you are a very busy parent, please use a driver to drive while you will be sitting on the front passenger seat because it doesn’t cost much compared to risking trying to multitask when taking your children to school
*Driving your kids to school on daily basis with your private car
*Put a sticker at the back of the car labelled — school children onboard that helps to keep other drivers at bay from your car
*Make sure that you put the comprehensive insurance cover on your vehicle compared with taking the third party, which doesn’t cover your children
*Have it in your mind that you are a driver doing a job of driving children although you maybe the parent
*Be patient: Slow down and plan to arrive early
Stay off your phone: Use a hands free kit should it be important to talk to someone while driving
Look for signage: Be familiar with where the school zones begin and end, and stick to the stipulated speed limits
Watch for children: Children can appear unexpectedly between parked cars or in crosswalks.
Obey crossing guards: Look for crossing zones and always follow crossing guard instructions.
Follow parking rules: Obey all posted parking restrictions and use the school’s designated drop-off areas.
Drop off at the curbside: Make sure children exit the cars and can immediately get onto the sidewalk, away from traffic.
Be mindful of bus stops: Be cautious around bus stops and watch for groups of children waiting.
*Driving children to school as a business
Use much older drivers who meet the requirements for public service vehicle (PSV) that includes; valid medical certificate, valid defensive driving certificate and valid re-test and 25 years and above to drive children because they are not interested in testing how fast the car can go compared with younger drivery
*Your vehicles should be in good condition at all times mechanically, with good tyres and sufficient fuel in the tank
Take passenger insurance cover for your vehicles that protects your customers in the event of an accident
*Do not exceed the vehicle’s carrying capacity as that puts the children at a high risk of danger and subsequent failure to concentrate in the class because of fatigue and tiredness
*Put some stickers at the back of the vehicles – Children on Board that helps to keep other drivers at bay from your car
*Your drivers should arrive in time to pick and collect the children to avoid speeding to catch up with the school time
*All your vehicles should have the Child safety Lock on to make sure that no child can open the doors by themselves
*Use modern vehicles with seat belts and emergency exits
Pedestrians and drivers sharing the road are responsible for one another’s safety and should always be alert to any potential dangers.
And back-to-school traffic safety requires that everyone remains patient, alert and vigilant in addition to obeying all traffic rules and avoiding distractions.
Parents and teachers spend a lot of time reminding students to practice safety when walking or riding their bikes to school.
However, students aren’t the only ones who need to brush up on their safety skills as a new school year begins.
It’s imperative for parents who are drivers to reacquaint themselves with safe driving practices, too.
While some of the most dangerous days of driving are during the month ends, going back to school has its own set of dangers for both students and drivers alike.
Taking time to remind yourself of what to watch out for, and then preparing for how to handle these situations, can go a long way toward keeping everyone safer.
*Practicing safety around school buses
School bus drivers face special challenges on the road. Bus drivers have a large vehicle that has blind spots all around and requires more time to stop.
Other drivers sharing the road with buses should adopt driving habits that help make the roads safer for everyone. Here are a few important rules to remember;
Always maintain a safe following distance. Keep as much space as possible between your vehicle and the bus in front of you. If you’re in front of a school bus, it’s important you’re paying attention to traffic and situations on the road that will prevent you from slamming on your brakes, which could create a situation where a bus driver doesn’t have sufficient braking time to avoid a crash.
In traffic, avoid “cutting” in front of a bus. Many bus drivers leave a safe following distance between the bus and the car ahead of them to ensure a safer environment for passengers. Even if your car can fit into the space, drivers should always avoid cutting in front of a bus or transit vehicle.
Watch for buses that are loading or unloading children. Be prepared to stop when the bus stops. The most dangerous area around a school bus is the space 10 feet around the vehicle since this radius falls into the driver’s blind spot. Be sure to stop more than 10 feet behind a school bus to allow passengers a safe space for entering and exiting.
Never pass a stopped school bus. No matter what country you live in, it’s illegal to pass a school bus that has stopped to load or unload children. This rule includes passing a bus from either direction, so any time you approach a school bus that has stopped to pick up or unload children, you need to stop as well.
It is highly advisable for parents to contract companies that provide school transport for children only to those that employ older drivers and whose cars have passenger insurance cover.
Please do not use cars that are being used for mushikashika business because their culture of driving is completely the opposite of the minimum standards we are talking about.
The back to school time is busy for parents, children and bus drivers, so each one must do their part to help make the roads safer and look out for others around them.
*Stanley Makombe has 25 years’ experience in the motor industry and is currently handling vehicle imports from Japan, Thailand, UK and South Africa into African countries. He is writing in his own capacity and can be contacted on +254 743 900 590, on X @Stan_Carsales, email: stanley@stanleymakombe.com, www.stanleymakombe.com
