Editorial
School's Open Drive Carefully
Afamiliar vehicle is back on the roads this week, causing

yet another obstacle for harried, rush-hour motorists.

Big, yellow school buses are back, chugging along the streets, making wide turns and unusual stops.

They will be difficult if not impossible to miss, but drivers and students alike should take this last-minute warning seriously. Be careful, because riding the bus and driving around it can be dangerous.

The greatest risk to school bus travelers is not when they're inside the bus, but outside it.

The greatest risk to school bus passengers is when they get on and off the bus.

Since 1946, AAA has been sponsoring the annual "School's Open - Drive Carefully" program to remind motorists that children are returning to the classroom and are once again a special traffic hazard.

Motor-vehicle fatalities are the No. 1 cause of injury and deaths for children ages 5 to 18. To help protect children, AAA urges motorists to follow these safety tips:

 Slow down in or near school and residential areas.

 Drive with your headlights on - even during the day - so children and other drivers can see you.

 Look for clues such as school safety patrols, bicycles and playgrounds that indicate that children could be in the area.

 Scan between parked cars and other objects for signs of children, who may dart into the road.

 Practice caution in bad weather.

 Always stop for school buses that are loading or unloading children.

Safe driving is a year-round activity. But when schools are in session, extra diligence is needed. So please, drive carefully.

The school year is a special time when children create lifetime memories.

To help ensure a child's school year does not include a traffic-related

injury, motorists must be aware of their surroundings.

Remember: "School's Open - Drive Carefully."