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Police stress safety as school begins

With a new school year starting in about a week, police are hoping safety will figure into people’s thoughts.

Youngsville Borough Police Chief Todd Mineweaser sent a list of safety suggestions for motorists that, while useful all the time, are increasingly important as students in a hurry cross streets and run to and from bus stops.

¯ “Leave 15 to 20 minutes earlier than normal so you are not in a hurry. Do not let road rage get the best of you;

¯ Report suspected aggressive and unsafe driving to the police by calling 911. Do not attempt to handle it yourself;

¯ Stay off any and all electronic devices. You do not need any distractions. Our busy lifestyles are distracting enough;

¯ Do the recommended, posted speed limits. The posted speed limits are the maximum speed recommended by traffic safety engineers;

¯ Inspect your vehicle daily, especially your tires and lights. Make sure you have good treads on all your tires, especially in winter or rainy weather — which we have plenty of;

¯ Always focus on the roadway and your surroundings. You never know when a pedestrian or child on a bike may pop out in front of you;

¯ Report damaged roadways to PennDOT. You see a dangerous pothole in the roadway or a dead deer, report it — 1-800-FIX-ROAD;

¯ Make sure you are up to date on the car seat laws and always ask a car seat technician (from your local police department) to install them for you;

¯ Know where deer and ATVs may be crossing routinely. Assume heavy deer movements during the rut and be more vigilant of ATVs on dirt roads;

¯ Know that more children will be walking and biking to and from school soon. Know your school bus laws and the times they do their runs;

¯ Watch for crosswalks and pedestrians in commercial districts;

¯ Know your insurance policy for lockouts, towing or roadside assistance. Look into AAA if your insurance doesn’t cover these things; and

¯ Always wear your seatbelt and never drive or operate a motor vehicle while impaired.”

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