Join Fort Collins Police on morning patrol through school zones
After the death of Vale Volkov on November 5, 2019, at a crosswalk in a school zone, parents, police and the Poudre School District looked for ways to improve safety.
Classes start again in the Poudre School District this week, and that means there will be more children and drivers on the roads starting Wednesday.
Drivers traveling through or near school zones should be particularly alert to children riding bicycles, walking, or being dropped off or picked up from the school zone by car or bus, particularly during normal school start and finish times.
Here are some tips and advice from Fort Collins Police and the National Safe Routes to School program for driving safely in and around school zones as children return to classrooms this week:
- Slow down and obey speed limits in school zones. Flashing lights on speed limit signs in school zones indicate that drivers should travel at the reduced speed.
- Give way at zebra crossings – especially in school zones – regardless of who has the right of way.
- Avoid parking in crosswalks or stopping to let children out of the car, as your vehicle may block the view of the crosswalk for other drivers and pedestrians.
- Avoid picking up or dropping off children across the street from school if there is no crosswalk to prevent children from having to cross busy roads.
- Be aware of children walking or cycling on sidewalks and streets.
- Be aware of children gathering in pick-up or drop-off areas and at bus stops. Children in these areas may run across the street without paying attention to traffic.
When do I have to stop for the school bus?
Colorado state law requires drivers to stop at least 20 feet in front of a school bus that is stopped with its red flashing light on and its stop sign extended, whether the bus is on your side of the road, the opposite side of the road, or at an intersection you are currently traveling through.
Drivers must remain stopped until the flashing red lights are no longer activated, but should wait and watch for children who are still getting off the bus and crossing the road.
Drivers are not required to stop if there is a school bus with its blue lights on on the opposite side of the road and it is separated from the road by a median or other physical barrier.
Here’s what else you should know about driving near school buses:
- School bus drivers must turn on their yellow flashing lights 60 meters before stopping. When these lights are turned on, other drivers must slow to 20 mph and prepare to stop.
- After the bus lights are turned off and all children have boarded or alighted, the bus driver should give stopped vehicles time to overtake (if overtaking is permitted in the area where the bus is stopped).
- Drivers who violate the law face fines: A first offense is a Class 2 misdemeanor with a fine of up to $300, a mandatory court appearance, and six points on the driver’s license. A second offense within five years is a Class 1 misdemeanor with a fine of up to $1,000.
