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(Santa Rosa Beach) – As the school year begins Monday, August 8^th, drivers will once again be encountering children commuting to school, some for their very first time. The South Walton Fire District (SWFD) would like to encourage motorists to be especially alert for children, particularly in and around school zones.

In an effort to raise driver awareness that children and school buses will once again be part of weekday traffic, the SWFD will assist by providing "visual reminders" at several school locations.

·        Eden’s Landing off of Hwy 395 near (Bay Elementary School)

·        Hwy 98 Median near the entrance to the new Emerald Cost Middle School

·        South Walton High School off of Highway 331

·        30-A on right away across Butler Elementary 

The SWFD would also like to provide a few safe driving tips to assist motorists in keeping the roadways safe for our children this school year, as more drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists will resume sharing the road during this busy back-to-school season: 

·        Scan between parked cars and other objects for signs that children could dart into the road.

·        Eliminate distractions. Taking your eyes off the road for two seconds doubles your chance of being involved in a crash. Avoid engaging in distracting behavior.

·        Plan ahead. Leave early for your destination and allow extra time for congestion. Modify your route to avoid school zones and traffic, if possible.

·        Drop children off on school property.

·        Remember, school zones are non-passing zones. Doing so is not only dangerous, but also against the law.

·        Always stop for school buses that are loading or unloading students.

For further information, please contact Sammy Sanchez, Fire Marshal at SWFD Headquarters, 850-267-1298 or visit our website at www.swfd.org

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