How to avoid a school zone accident | Attorney Javier Marcos

School zones are designed to keep school children safe from passing motorists when they come to school and when they leave. However, these zones can pose a threat anyway since motorists can be quite reckless. To ensure you do not find yourself at the bad end of a school zone accident or a personal injury lawsuit, make sure to keep the following tips in mind If find yourself driving through a school zone:

Recognize school zones

You might breeze right by school zones and not even know about it especially if you are drowsy or on your phone. Driving that close to school-going children who can run out on the street at any moment is a recipe for disaster.

The main rule you should always keep in mind is to remain aware of your surroundings at all times no matter what. This should not be difficult considering the fact that you will see a number of warning signs as you approach along with speed bumps to slow you down. Therefore, always keep your eye on the road and on your surroundings at all times to avoid a school zone accident.

Slow down!

Always reduce your speed when you approach a school zone or as low as 10 miles/hour to be on the safe side. This speed limit will be significantly lower than what is posted in other areas and on the same roadway. Slamming on the brakes at the last moment to prevent a head-on collision or swerving at the last moment to avoid a child can still result in serious injuries or worse, fatalities.

Be aware of school buses

When you drive into a school zone, chances are you will be sharing the road with several school buses. If you find yourself driving behind one, keep your distance and more than the distance you would keep for a regular car. This will give you more time to stop once the bus brakes and will allow you to spot the yellow lights flashing as an indicator.

It is illegal to pass a school bus that stop to unload children or load them. In fact, never pass it from any direction and stop at least 10 feet away to allow the children to get on and off. Children are often quite unpredictable and can run out in the middle of the road without warning. Better to be safe than sorry so that you don’t end up in court.

Suffered a school zone accident? Call Attorney Javier Marcos

If your child got injured because of a reckless driver who did not heed the school zone or the above mentioned tips, then you have every right to sue for damages. Attorney Javier Marcos can work with you and ensure you receive the damages you deserve. We also have Spanish speaking attorneys on board who can aid you in your native language.

For a school zone accident, give us a call by dialing 713.999.4444 and we will get back to you. Contact us today for legal services in personal injury, construction liens and even workplace injuries. We can give you a free consultation and we go to you.