National School Bus Safety Week

October 17, 2023

Let’s start #traffictiptuesday with a pop quiz:

This week is what?

A) National Bologna Sandwich Week?
B) National Buy Your Dentist A Burrito Week
C) National School Bus Safety Week

If you guessed ‘C’ you are correct. Communities across the country will be celebrating National School Bus Safety Week October 16-20, 2023. While the school bus is one of the safest modes of transportation, illegal school bus passing is a significant threat to children and their caretakers. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is sharing some statistics about illegal school bus passing to help raise awareness about this very real danger. During National School Bus Safety Week, help support NHTSA’s mission to help save lives by warning other drivers about the dangers of illegal school bus passing.

In every state, it is illegal for vehicle drivers to pass a school bus while the school bus stop-arm is extended, and the red lights are flashing. Failing to do so could result in injury or death to child pedestrians or their caretakers. Vehicle drivers must always come to a complete stop when a school bus stop-arm is extended, and the red lights are flashing.

Obey all traffic signs and signals. More injuries and fatalities occur outside of or near a school bus because a motorist has failed to obey the stop-arm warning or has failed to follow local traffic laws.

From 2011 to 2020, there were 1,009 fatal school-transportation-related crashes, and 1,125 people of all ages were killed in those crashes — an average of 113 fatalities per year.

School buses are statistically the safest way to transport school children. Unfortunately, dangers still arise: From 2000-2021, there were 53 fatalities in crashes that involved a driver illegally passing a stopped school bus, an average of 2.4 fatalities a year. Almost half of those fatalities (25) were pedestrians who were 18 years old or younger.

Please do your part to drive safely, especially when travelling around school buses. Our community and our children will thank you for it.

Now if you will excuse me, I need to go buy a burrito for my dentist!

Until next week, slow down, pay attention, wear your seatbelt, and drive safely.

HCSO Main Line – 410.838.6600
Northern Precinct – 410.692.7880
Southern Precinct – 410.612.1717
HCSO Traffic Unit – 443.409.3324
traffictiptuesday@harfordsheriff.org
@hcsotrafficsgt on Instagram

Crossing Guards

October 10, 2023

Now that school is back in full swing, I want to recognize the unsung heroes of school safety: Crossing Guards! These men and women are out there every day helping our students get to and from school safely. So, to all the kids reading this, it’s time to brush up on our school crossing guard safety!

Tip #1: Don’t be a clown.

I know what you’re thinking: “Why not? Everyone likes clowns (except for the ‘hide under your bed and eat your feet kind’). However, clowns are clumsy and accident-prone. If you are goofing around or trying to juggle bowling balls while crossing the street, you are not paying attention to your surroundings and therefore not being safe.

Tip #2: Listen to the crossing guard.

The Crossing Guard is your friend. More importantly, they are there for a reason! Their job is to keep you safe. So, listen to them and follow their instructions. If they say stop, stop. If they say go, go. If they tell you to go back home because it is Thanksgiving Day and schools are closed, both of you are probably very confused.

Tip #3: Look both ways.

Even if the Crossing Guard tells you to go, you still need to look both ways before crossing the street. You never know when a maniacal driver will come zooming around the corner with no regard for your well-being. While we are at it, you should also take out your ear buds when approaching the crosswalk so you can hear what is going on around you.

Remember, safety should always be your top priority, and your Crossing Guard is there to help you with that. And, for all you drivers out there…looks out for students AND crossing guards. Especially in and around marked crosswalks. Besides, you never know when you may see a clown juggling bowling balls on your way to work.

Until next week, slow down, pay attention, wear your seatbelt, and drive safely.

HCSO Main Line – 410.838.6600
Northern Precinct – 410.692.7880
Southern Precinct – 410.612.1717
HCSO Traffic Unit – 443.409.3324
traffictiptuesday@harfordsheriff.org
@hcsotrafficsgt on Instagram

Happy Johnny Appleseed Day

September 26, 2023

While doing my research for a #TrafficTipTuesday post this morning, I discovered that today is National Johnny Appleseed Day. Most of us “experienced” drivers are probably familiar with the legend of the guy who traveled around planting thousands of apple trees. Here are a few facts about Johnny Appleseed that you probably didn’t know.

1. Johnny Appleseed was a real person named John Chapman. He was born on today’s date in 1774 in Massachusetts.
2. He didn’t plant trees randomly. The legend tells the tale of a man who just wandered here and there, randomly planting apple trees. In reality, John Chapman planted nurseries. He would find unclaimed land and plant apple orchards on it. Planting the orchards was a legal way of claiming ownership in some areas of the West. After planting, he would leave them to grow and wait for people to settle in the region. Then, he would come back years later and sell the trees for a profit.
3. Today, John Chapman, who is the original Johnny Appleseed’s great-great-great-great grandnephew, owns some small orchards near Athens, GA. There is a claim that at least one of the trees in these orchards is descended from the stock that Johnny Appleseed planted. The modern Mr. Chapman carries on his name sake’s legacy by donating apple trees.
4. Johnny Appleseed never received a citation for texting and driving.

Clearly Johnny knew how dangerous texting and driving is. If he were alive today, Johnny would be able to tell you that sending or receiving a single text message takes your attention off the road for approximately 5 seconds. At highway speeds, you will cover almost 440 feet in this amount of time. And texting isn’t the only problem. Any cell phone use (social media, checking email, or dialing a phone number) are all dangerous driving behaviors.

So put down your phone and wait until you are home to search for a good applesauce recipe. Have a safe and happy Johnny Appleseed Day.
Until next week, slow down, pay attention, wear your seatbelt, and drive safely.

HCSO Main Line – 410.838.6600
Northern Precinct – 410.692.7880
Southern Precinct – 410.612.1717
HCSO Traffic Unit – 443.409.3324
traffictiptuesday@harfordsheriff.org
@hcsotrafficsgt on Instagram

Distractions

September 19, 2023

Let’s play a game. I’ll give you three quotes and you have to guess which one was actually said by Traffic Sergeant Eaton’s wife:

1) “No, you can’t wear those Muppet socks with cargo shorts.”
2) “I’d rather you not put a 9-ft animatronic skeleton on the roof of the house.”
3) “What? There is no way you are going to try to eat a bowl of soup while you’re driving down the highway.”

Any guesses? It’s a trick question. At some point or another. She has given me all three pieces of advice. For now, let’s focus on number three though.
Distractions come in many shapes and sizes. Typically, when we hear about the distracted driving, we only think about cell phones. I’m here to tell you that there are thousands of other ways drivers can put themselves and others in dangerous positions by not focusing on the road. Having a pet on your lap, reading a book, and yes, I’ll concede that eating a bowl of soup can also go on the list of dangerous distractions while you’re operating a motor vehicle.

Driving is a task that demands your full-time and attention. Even a short trip can be a dangerous one if you’re driving distracted. So please remember to put down your phone and save the soup until you get home.

In the meantime, slow down, drive safely, and if you need me, I’ll be trying to sneak a giant spider into the garage before the wife gets home from work.

Until next week, slow down, pay attention, wear your seatbelt, and drive safely.

HCSO Main Line – 410.838.6600
Northern Precinct – 410.692.7880
Southern Precinct – 410.612.1717
HCSO Traffic Unit – 443.409.3324
traffictiptuesday@harfordsheriff.org
@hcsotrafficsgt