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MARYVILLE

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News Brief

Aug. 12, 2019 |  By: Molly Gardner

School starting means more traffic

Students across Missouri are preparing to begin their 2019-2020 school year. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reminds drivers this brings a change in traffic patterns. School buses and parents taking their children to school will join other motorists on the road and affect the morning and afternoon commute. Public Information Officer for Troop H, Sergeant Jake Angle, says this is the time of year to be aware of new drivers.

"Kids are going to be heading back to their respective buildings and things like that.  Kids are going to be on the move whether it be on foot, you're going to see an increase in bicycle traffic.  Not only that, but we're going to have new drivers out on the roadway, with not much experience.  I just want people to be aware, kind of extra cautious, giving 100% attention to the job of driving.  Just so we can accommodate those new drivers, kids walking, crosswalks, on bicycles and things like that."

Angle reminds drivers that it's important to remember the laws surrounding school buses.

"On a two-way roadway, when you meet a school bus and it's stopped and it's got its lights activated, obviously you need to stop in both directions.  Those cars approaching that school bus and cars approaching from the rear of the bus, they are required by law to stop.  On a divided highway, obviously the cars going in the same direction as a school bus is are required to stop.  Now traffic on the other side of the median going in the opposite direction are not required to stop on a 4-lane divided highway."  

Most traffic crashes involving young drivers, under the age of 21, in 2018 occurred between 3 and 4 pm, when school typically lets out. Remember to be aware of your surroundings during school zones.