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“In the aftermath of the tragic and devastating death of an 8-year-old at a bus stop in Cape Coral, the news media and others are calling for every week to be School Bus Safety Week, not just one week in October. We at Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys P.A. give our heartfelt condolences to the family and friends of the young girl and ask every driver to remember to slow down and be watchful for students at bus stops in Lee, Collier and Charlotte Counties,” said Cape Coral Car Personal Injury Lawyer Randall Spivey.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) urged motorists in November 2018 to exercise caution and follow state laws when approaching a school bus or school crossing. This information needs to be expanded to include children waiting at bus stops. Often, children are forced to wait in the streets as bus stops are situated in areas that have no sidewalks and frequently very little lighting. Early morning bus schedules cause children to be standing in the dark. It is all motorists’ responsibility to anticipate that someone may be in the road whenever they are behind the wheel.

CNN reported that there were six accidents at school bus stops the week of November 2, 2018.These accidents left five people dead and seven children with injuries.

“Engineering solutions, such as sidewalks, stop lights and pedestrian bridges, help create safe environments for children to wait for buses,” said Dr. Benjamin Hoffman, a pediatrics professor at Oregon Health & Science University and an injury prevention specialist.

More school bus stop accidents happen when the sun rises later in the morning after children have left for school. The Governors Highway Safety Association has the following tips for driving in the dusk or dark:

• Your car comes with a sun visor. Use it.  Yes, that is our first and maybe most important tip.
• Dusk and dawn hours are periods when the sun is more likely to shine directly into your eyes. Watch out for this possibility to avoid being hit by the wave of momentary blindness that usually results from glare.
• Although they are not usually very effective during these hours, by all means, use your headlamps for better illumination, especially in road portions with deep shadows. Your tail lights will also help to make your car more visible to vehicles behind you.
• Sunrise and sunset are usually periods of peak exhaustion for drivers after a long day or a long drive through the night. Stay alert to reduce the chances of drifting into sleep while steering. Also, watch out for vehicles drifting unnecessarily outside their lane.
• Always keep a safe distancebetween your car and the vehicle in front. Also, make frequent use of your rear-view mirror to watch out for any vehicles closing in rapidly on you from behind.
• Ensure that your windshield is clean and free of dust, dirt, or anything that may obstruct your view.
• Speeding is bad anytime, but it’s even worse when you do it during periods of reduced or compromised visibility, like dawn and dusk. Obey the speed limit and slow down when you have to because of the glare.
• As your eyes adjust to changing light conditions, your peripheral vision, color contrast perception, and depth perception will shift accordingly. Be aware of these vision changes and allow your eyes to adjust appropriately without taking your eyes off the road.

Distracted driving is a problem, especially when it occurs around school bus stops. Authorities report they often see frequent texting while driving. Texting, speaking on a cell phone, putting on makeup, reading, eating, or any other distraction is not acceptable when driving. 

“We are available 24/7 to assist you or your family should you be injured in a vehicle accident,” said Attorney Spivey.

Cape Coral Accident Attorney, Randall L. Spivey is a Board Certified Trial Attorney – the highest recognition for competence bestowed by the Florida Bar and a distinction earned by just one (1%) percent of Florida attorneys.  He has handled over 2,000 personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida.  For a free and confidential consultation to discuss your legal rights, contact the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., in Lee County at 239.337.7483 or toll free at 1.888.477.4839,or by email to Randall@SpiveyLaw.com.  Visit SpiveyLaw.com for more information.  You can contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.in Charlotte County at 941.764.7748 and in Collier County 239.793.7748.