BACK TO SCHOOL SAFETY TIPS

Put Safety at the Top of Your Back to School To Do List
Village of La Grange Reminds Motorists, Parents and Children of Safety Tips

Labor Day weekend marks the traditional end of summer and the beginning of the school year. The Village of La Grange is committed to providing a comprehensive safety program for its residents and visitors to ensure a safe school environment.

“Traffic and pedestrian safety is a priority for the Village of La Grange,” said Michael Holub, Police Chief for La Grange. “We will patrol school grounds and strictly enforce traffic rules around schools to ensure the safety of the public.”

The Village has developed these simple safety reminders for motorists and families alike:

* The speed limit around schools in La Grange is 20 MPH on school days.
* A school zone is a no passing zone.
* Motorists must stop before passing a school bus when it is loading or unloading passengers and remain stopped while the signal arm is extended and lights are flashing.
* Drivers must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians when a person is walking with a green light or has entered a crosswalk before the traffic signal has changed. Of particular note, all signalized intersections in La Grange are:

o Marked with a crosswalk
o Have new push-button activated visual countdown displays to inform pedestrians the amount of time remaining to safely complete a street crossing
o Have been retrofitted with new LED light bulbs to improve visibility.

* Children should use designated school walking routes.
* Parents are asked to exercise extra caution and allow additional time for student drop-off and pick-up.
* Parents should consider creating a “walking school bus,” where an adult accompanies a group of children walking to school.
* Pedestrians and motorists must obey crossing guard commands.

La Grange schools are back in session starting today, August 21. For more information about La Grange check out our website at www.villageoflagrange.com