For many families, the school year is a very busy time. Between making lunches and taking the children to and fromschool, it may feel like you’re always in a hurry.
But weekdays can be more manageable if you share the school driving responsibilities with other families, otherwise known as “carpooling.”
What is carpooling?
Carpooling is a type of ride-sharing that allows busy people to take turns with other neighborhood parents. Carpooling helps you:
- Save time and money.
- Minimize
the wear and tear on your car.
- Reduce
traffic during peak hours.
- Get
to know other parents and community members.
Choosing carpool drivers
- Share
the idea of carpooling with responsible parents also interested in
participating.
- Try
to make sure that participating drivers have cars that are in good condition
and all valid documents (registration, insurance, etc.).
- Figure
out how many children can safely ride in the car, depending on its capacity.
- Keep
the phone number and address of each parent in case of emergencies.
Recommendations for drivers
- Leave
your house early, with enough time to pick up all the children on time.
- Have
children under age 13 sit in the back seat, and make sure they wear their
seatbelts. Children younger than 8 years old must ride in a booster or car
safety seat.
- Before
driving to school, make sure that all the car doors are closed properly and use
the child safety locks if your car has them.
- Never
leave children alone in the car, not even for a minute.
Advice for driving in school zones
- Drive
slowly when you’re in a school zone and always obey the speed limit.
- When
driving behind a school bus, make sure to stop when the red lights flash. Never try to pass a bus.
- Try
not to block or park in front of the school entrance or exit.
- Drop off the children in specified loading/unloading zones. Wait until
you see them go into school before leaving. Notify the teacher who will be
picking up the children after school each day.
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