08/07/2026
🚸 Drive Smart in School Zones: Keep Kids Safe This School Year! 🚗
As families gear up for back‑to‑school season, Texas drivers should also prepare for the return of school‑related traffic. That means slowing down, staying alert, and paying extra attention in school zones and around school buses.
School zones can get chaotic—with rushed mornings, kids hopping in and out of cars, and buses loading and unloading. Unfortunately, this leads to preventable crashes. In 2025, Texas saw 877 school‑zone traffic crashes (a 12% increase!) and 2,358 collisions involving school buses. Distracted driving and speeding were the top causes.
TxDOT reminds everyone: your attention can save a life.
🏃♀️➡️🎒🚴♂️Tips for Children Walking or Biking to School:
• Use sidewalks when available. If not, walk on the left side facing traffic.
• Cross only at intersections or crosswalks. Look left, right, and left again.
• Always follow crossing guards.
• Make eye contact with drivers before crossing—never assume they see you.
• Be alert stepping off buses or from behind parked cars.
• Wear a helmet when biking or scootering.
• Avoid distractions like phones or headphones.
🚙🚗Tips for Drivers in School Zones:
• Watch for flashing school zone lights and obey speed limits—fines are higher there.
• Stay alert and keep your phone out of reach. Using a handheld device in an active school zone is illegal.
• Stop and yield to people in crosswalks.
• Use only designated drop‑off/pick‑up areas.
• Watch for kids at bus stops and those who may cross unexpectedly.
Let’s all do our part to make this school year safer for every child. 💛💚
Slow down. Stay alert. Drive smart.
Thanks to our partners at TxDOT for these tips for driving safe in school zones.
We’ve added a fun back‑to‑school coloring page featuring our Lake Worth School Resource Officers! It’s a fun little activity for families to enjoy together during the last weekend before school starts. Print off the coloring page or stop by the lobby of the police department to get one.
