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August is back-to-school time for approximately 145 thousand students in Lee, Collier and Charlotte Counties (85 thousand - Lee County, 42.7 thousand - Collier County, and 16.9 thousand - Charlotte County, as reported by the county school boards).  In Charlotte County alone, 89 school buses transport 8 thousand students every day, equating to 1.8 million miles travelled per year.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported in their "Pedestrian Death Survey 2002-2011" that more school-age pedestrians have been killed during the hours of 7 a.m. - 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. - 4 p.m., times when many students are going to, or coming from, school.

More traffic and more people congregated around schools represent situations where accidents are more likely to happen.  Extra traffic, often heavy, occurs when school children are picked up by parents. School zone accidents are more prevalent when parents are distracted looking for their child or children. Traffic in school zone areas is also increased with children crossing streets on foot and with bicycles. Most Florida schools, according to DVMFlorida.org have posted speed limits of 20 miles per hour.  There are also special speed limit signs to alert drivers that they are entering school zones.  The signs use flashing lights to warn drivers of the lower speed limits.  Drivers are to maintain lower speeds until they reach a sign that indicates they have left the school zone. 

The American Automobile Association (AAA) offers the following "6 Ways to Protect School Zones" :

1. Slow Down - School zone speed limits are reduced for a reason.  A pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling at 25 miles per hour is nearly two-thirds less likely to be killed than a pedestrian struck by a vehicle travelling at 35 miles per hour.
2. Complete Stops - More than one-third of drivers roll through stop signs in school zones or neighborhoods.  Always come to a complete stop, checking carefully for children on sidewalks and in crosswalks before proceeding.
3. Eliminate Distractions - Children often cross the road unexpectedly and can emerge from between two parked cars.  Taking your eyes off the road for just two seconds doubles your chances of crashing.
4. Reverse Responsibility - Every vehicle has blind spots.  Check for children on the sidewalk, driveway and around your vehicle before slowly backing up.  Teach children to never play in, under or around vehicles.
5. Talk to Teens - Car crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teenagers.  More than one in four fatal teen crashes occur between 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. 
6. Watch for Bikes - Children on bicycles can be unsteady and unpredictable.  Slow down and allow at least 3 feet between your vehicle and the bike.  Bike riders should wear properly fitted helmets.

"We, at Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., recommend drivers and walkers be vigilant at all times around school zones," says Attorney Randall Spivey.

Florida Child Injuries Attorney, Randall L. Spivey is a Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney – the highest recognition for competence bestowed by the Florida Bar and a distinction earned by less than 2 percent of Florida attorneys. He has handled over 1,500 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.