OK, folks, school’s back in session. Our summer fun’s over. It’s time to take the foot off the gas on city streets and watch for pedestrians.
With school back in session and classes at universities starting later this month, motorists will be seeing more pedestrians trying to cross streets. In fact, whether it was the cost of gas or people just trying to get more exercise, more pedestrians have been evident for the past few months on streets all around the Atlanta area.
We, as a community, need to be aware of people — adults and children — walking more and using the crosswalks (which exist on every intersection even if they are not painted on the street). Pedestrians, too, need to be careful and not dart out into streets. Safety is everyone’s responsibility. Parents should remind their kids about pedestrian safety and responsibility.
By and large most motorists and pedestrians obey the rules of the road. The situation is much better than it was a few years ago. But frankly, there are still some drivers who just don’t get it. Pedestrians who take a step off the curb when such drivers are headed down the street are taking their lives in their own hands.
The biggest factor seems to be the speed at which some motorists think they can cruise our city streets. Some people are in a hurry and they ignore the 35 mph speed limit.
And with school back in session, remember that the speed in school zones is 20 mph.
The Atlanta area police do a good job moving the speed limit reminder trailer around town. Motorists should pay attention and note what speed they are driving when they come into the radar gun’s sight. Driving 5 or 10 mph over the speed limit on a city street is dangerous.
Please, slow down. Drive cautiously. And remember to stop when you see someone waiting to cross the street.