United Tire and Service News

It's mid September and the school year has begun! This means that busses and carpools are back on the roads and school zone lights are flashing. Our main priority is safety on the roads, so we want to pass along some reminders to help everyone in the community stay safe as the school year begins. Here are some tips to remember when interacting with school busses or driving through school zones.

School Bus

When the bus’s red lights begin to flash and the STOP sign is extended, you must stop 10 feet away from the bus. This rule applies if you are stopping behind the bus AND if you’re traveling on the opposite side of the road. The only exception to this rule is if you are traveling on a divided highway, then cars traveling in the opposite direction do not have to stop.

It should go without saying, but never pass a bus from behind. Doing so will endanger the lives of the children, other drivers on the road, and your own life.

The school bus does not always stop directly in front of a child’s house, and sometimes the children need to walk about a block to get home. Because of this, it is extremely important to stay alert in neighborhoods and to not exceed the posted speed limit.

School Zone

Each school has its own specific drop off procedure, but there are some general guidelines. Don’t double park because it blocks the visibility of others around you. Also, it’s important to not load or unload your children across the street from the school for the children’s safety.

If you’re able to carpool with friends or neighbors, it’s best to do so because this reduces the number of vehicles at the school itself and minimizes congestion during pickup/drop-off times.

Most schools have flashing lights on the road to signal when school is in session. During this time, the speed limit may be reduced significantly. It is important to adhere to this speed limit even if it looks like there are no children near the roadways.

United Tire is dedicated to keeping the roads in our community safe. Whether it is reminding our neighbors about on the road safety or providing our customers with high quality and affordable automotive and tire service, we encourage all drivers to Drive United.