(Photo courtesy of Bend Police Dept.)
School is back in session! A few kids went back to school September 5, but our schools were full force September 6 to start the 2017/18 school year. With school in session, the school zones are back in effect during Monday through Friday. Anticipate on seeing increased pedestrian and vehicle volumes around school. We want to remind drivers who commute through these areas to be aware of the increased numbers of children who will be present in these areas.
A reminder that Oregon Revised Statute 811.111 requires drivers to drive 20 MPH in posted school zones from 7am-5pm on days when school is in session whether or not children are actually present.
Drivers are required to drive 20 MPH in school zones posted “When children are present” when children are occupying or walking within a crosswalk, waiting on a curb or shoulder of the highway/street at a crosswalk, or when a crossing guard is present to assist children at a crosswalk.
Drivers are reminded to watch for school buses at times when they would be picking up or dropping off children. It is a Class A Traffic Infraction to overtake, in either direction, a school bus that is stopped on a roadway and operating its red bus safety lights. Drivers must stop before they reach the vehicle and remain stopped until the bus safety lights are no longer operating.
Why “20” miles per hour you ask? This is based on survival rates of pedestrians if they are struck by a vehicle. Research has shown survival rates of a pedestrian are at 95 percent if struck by a vehicle, but start to decline as speeds increase. Survival rates of a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling at 30 miles per hour dip to 60 percent and at 40 mile per hour they go all the way to 10 percent. Speed matters!
The Bend Police Department will be increasing its enforcement of speed and other violations in posted school zones once school is in session. Expect to see a high volume of our officers around the Bend area schools this month.
Lieutenant Clint Burleigh, Cburleigh@bendoregon.gov
