As another school year begins and students head back to class, more traffic can be seen throughout the Twin Lakes Area. School buses will be back on the road, and motor and pedestrian traffic will have an increase in school zones.
Law enforcement is urging caution on the roads and in school zones, and Baxter County Sheriff John Montgomery says traffic is typically the heaviest in the first two or three days of classes.
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According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1,332 people were killed in school-transportation-related crashes from 2005 to 2014 for an average of 133 fatalities per year. Sheriff Montgomery says one way to reduce the statistics is to be aware of laws dealing with school buses, including the rule on passing a bus when it makes a stop on the road.
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Sheriff Montgomery also urges motorists to be mindful of distracted driving laws. In addition to texting and driving being illegal, cellular phone usage is completely banned in car-loading lines.
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