News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
News and Opinion from Sisters, Oregon
School is back in session on Tuesday, September 2, for lower grades and on Wednesday for high-schoolers. That means it's time for drivers to be especially alert.
There will be kids walking to school, especially in the vicinity of Sisters Elementary School and the intersection of Cascade Avenue and Locust Street. Watch for the crossing guard in the morning hours before 8 a.m. and in the afternoon from about 2:30 p.m. on.
The entrances to Sisters Middle School and Sisters High School on Highway 242 west of town will be high-traffic zones in the morning and afternoon, with cars pulling out onto the highway after dropping kids off at the schools. Some drivers will be inexperienced students. Give yourself plenty of time to get to school so you don't have to rush.
Commuters should avoid the congested entrances if possible and take it slow if they can't. The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office routinely patrols near the schools, and fines for speeding and other traffic violations when school is in session are stiff.
Drivers should also be alert to school buses running their routes in Sisters neighborhoods. Watch for flashing yellow caution lights and flashing red lights that mean "Stop." When those red lights are flashing, the bus driver is loading or unloading students. Do not attempt to pass the bus.
The National Safety Council notes that, "All 50 states require that traffic in both directions stop on undivided roadways when students are entering or exiting a school bus."
The Council further notes that, "The area 10 feet around a school bus is where children are in the most danger of being hit. Stop your car far enough from the bus to allow children the necessary space to safely enter and exit the bus. Be alert. Children are unpredictable. Children walking to or from their bus are usually very comfortable with their surroundings. This makes them more likely to take risks, ignore hazards or fail to look both ways when crossing the street."
Parents should go over bus safety with their kids, remind them to heed the instructions of bus drivers and remind them to look both ways crossing a street.
Parents should go over the safety precautions for kids walking or cycling to school. Always walk on a sidewalk where one is available - and choose a route that has minimal traffic. Cyclists should always wear a safety helmet and use both straps on their backpack so that it is secured while riding. Young drivers should be counseled to take it slow and avoid rushing into the school parking lot where other kids are walking.
Parents should make sure that their student's backpack isn't too heavy. Information provided by the National Safety Council notes that "The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates there are more than 7,300 backpack-related injuries annually treated by hospitals and doctors. Injuries include bruises, sprains and strains to the back and shoulder, and fractures.
"The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that a child's backpack should weigh no more than 10 to 20 percent of the child's body weight. This figure may vary, however, depending on the child's body strength and fitness."
Using both straps on the pack helps distribute weight properly.
Common-sense precautions will help ensure that all students have a safe start to the 2014-15 school year in Sisters.
Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.
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