As school starts back, road safety on the minds of many

By WVUA 23 News Reporter Avery Lake

Traffic is always a hassle the first few days of the new school year. The roads are filled again with new drivers, school buses, and young students. One thing to keep in mind is safety and making sure your kids are safe on the roads. Alabama State Trooper Cpl. Reginal King is advising parents to teach their new drivers a primary route and a secondary route to school.

“We want to encourage parents to be proactive and take the initiative to get your new drivers out and show them different routes to go from home to school,” King said. “We want to encourage parents to assign a primary route that student can take day in and day out, however assign a secondary route as well, just in case there’s a event where you have a traffic jam or there’s a traffic crash which may cause a delay.”

For parents who are dropping off their kids for the first time, make sure you know where you’re going beforehand.

“The best advice that we can give is to drive with a defensive posture, meaning be aware of all your surroundings and prepared to make a sudden stop,” King said. “The ‘following too close’ law in Alabama states that for every 10 mph you travel, you need to have at least a 20-foot gap. So if you’re on the road going 45 mph it is recommended that you have at least a 90-foot gap from the lead vehicle.”

King said the training doesn’t stop once your teen gets a license. Continue to encourage your kids to stay safe on the roads throughout the school year.