Watch out for kids in school zones
Registration for Forsan, Coahoma and Big Spring has been taking place, and families are preparing to head back to school schedules. Big Spring ISD students will be heading into the 2020-2021 school year, on Aug. 18, and with classes starting school zones which have been stagnant and empty for the past five months - will be seeing increased traffic again, which means it's time to raise awareness for safety precautions. Forsan will be heading back on Aug. 12 and Coahoma will be back in the classroom beginning Aug. 11, each also having their designated school zones.
School lights will once again start flashing serving as a reminder to slow down, be extra cautious, and adhere to school zone laws. School zones will be active Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. dropping the speed limit in those areas to 20 mph. The lights on School Zone signs will begin flashing again, and the Big Spring Police Department reminds the community while in a school zone the speed limit is strictly enforced during the designated hours.
"Our citizens need to remember during school time hours there will be more vehicle congestion around the schools and roads adjacent to the schools," Big Spring Police Department Chief Chad Williams, said.
In addition to the reduced speed limits in school zones, use of wireless communication devices is prohibited in school zones. However, according to Chief Williams, wireless communication is allowed in school zones if a hands-free device is used or the vehicle is stopped. Patrol officers will also be watching to ensure seat belts are being worn as required by law.
"While Covid-19 has had an impact on numerous aspects of our lives over the past several months, and it could possibly have an impact on the traffic in the school zones, we are planning and anticipating the increased traffic flow," Chief Williams said. "We want to remind our citizens to be vigilant while driving in and around school zones for children walking to and from school.