August is Back-to-School Safety Month, and with students, young drivers, and school buses returning to the roads, it’s a good time to focus on safe driving habits.
Distracted driving remains one of the leading causes of traffic accidents. Whether it’s reading a text message, changing music, adjusting a navigation system, or checking a notification, even a few seconds of distraction can have serious consequences.
Texting while driving is especially dangerous because it takes your eyes, hands, and attention away from the task of driving. At highway speeds, just a few seconds spent looking at a phone can mean traveling the length of a football field without watching the road.
Distractions aren’t limited to phones. Eating, reaching for items in the vehicle, talking with passengers, or even daydreaming can take your focus away from driving. Staying alert and keeping your attention on the road can help prevent crashes and protect everyone traveling with you.
Everyone can help make our roads safer by slowing down in school zones, watching for children at bus stops, and allowing extra time to reach their destination. It’s also important to move over for emergency responders and utility crews working along the roadside, giving them the space they need to work safely.
A simple choice to put the phone away and pay attention can help prevent accidents and save lives. As traffic increases with the start of the school year, let’s all do our part to keep our roads safe. No message is worth the risk — the text can wait.
Back-to-school driving safety tips
Put your phone away
Silence notifications and keep your eyes on the road.
Watch for school buses
Stop when required and be alert for children nearby.
Slow down in school zones
Reduced speeds help keep students safe.
Stay focused
Avoid eating, adjusting controls, or other distractions while driving.
Be alert for pedestrians
Children can be unpredictable, especially near schools and bus stops.
Move over, slow down
Give emergency responders and utility crews space to work safely.
