"To safeguard lives and property; respectfully enforce the laws of the land, and work cooperatively to lessen the impact of crime on the lives of residents and visitors in Lee County.”

• DIRECT ROUTE - Children should take the most direct, safest route. Encourage your child to go straight to and from school without loitering along the way. School safety patrols, signs and other control devices are there for their protection.
• FEWEST STREETS TO CROSS- Select the route that involves the minimum number of streets to cross. Consider the street width, length of time it takes to cross each street, traffic volume, traffic speed and whether there are sufficient gaps in traffic for crossing.
• SPECIAL SCHOOL CROSSING- Pedestrian crossings may be provided next to school grounds to compensate for existing hazardous conditions. Use these crossings when planning safe routes. Try to restrict crossings to those intersections guarded by an adult crossing guard, a Deputy Sheriff, or a safety patrol member.
• TRAFFIC SIGNALS - Look for intersections with a separate pedestrian signal or WALK/DON’T WALK indicator.
• SIDEWALKS, PATHWAYS AND BIKE PATHS - Use protected walkways at every opportunity. They provide buffer zones away from traffic flow.
• OBSTRUCTED VIEWS - Avoid those streets where there are objects blocking a child’s view of oncoming traffic. Also avoid roads where vehicles often exceed the speed limit, rough street surfaces at crossings, poorly located safety islands and intersections with bus stops or parking near crosswalks.

SCHOOL BUS SAFETY

• Hurrying to get on or off the bus.
• Acting before they think and having little experience with traffic.
• Assuming motorists will see them and will wait for them to cross the street.
• Not staying visible to the driver’s eyesight and running around or playing games while waiting for the bus or walking to the bus stop.
• Not maintaining visibility in bad weather by wearing bright colors or reflective strips on their clothing.

• Make sure your child has no clothing that has loose drawstrings. Backpack straps should be short so they do not get caught on hand rails or bus doors.
• Supervise your children to make sure they get to the bus stop safely and are waiting far away from the roadway.
• Teach your child never to stop and pick something up without the bus driver being notified first.
• Children should stay 10 feet away from the bus or as far as possible. Never walk behind the bus. These are areas where children are in the most danger.
• When boarding a bus, stay away from the danger zones and board the bus in a single file.
• When exiting the bus, make sure your child looks before stepping off to make sure no cars are passing on the shoulder of the road.
• Before crossing the street in front of the bus take five giant steps in front of the bus or until you can see the driver’s face.
• Look Left-Right-Left when coming to the edge of the bus. Cars are supposed to stop. Make sure they do.

• Bicycle riders and passengers under 16 years of age must wear a properly fitted and secured bicycle helmet that meets nationally recognized standards. This includes a child who is riding in a trailer or semi-trailer attached to a bicycle.
• A bike may not be used to carry more people than it is designed or equipped to carry.
• Bicycle riders carrying a passenger under 4 years old or weighing 40 pounds or less, must secure the child in a seat or carrier designed to carry a child of that age and size and protect them from the moving parts of the bicycle. The exception is an adult rider carrying a child secured in a backpack or sling.
• A person may not rent or lease a bicycle that will be ridden by someone under the age of 16 years of age unless that child possesses a bicycle helmet or is provided a helmet by the person renting or leasing the bicycle.
• Purchase a helmet that has been tested and meets the uniform safety standard issued by the U.S. Consumer Safety Commission (CPSC) or one or more of the voluntary bicycle helmet standards like the ASTM, SNELL or ANSI.

• Bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities as other motorists.
• Always ride in the same direction as other traffic and keep to the right-hand side of the road.
• ALL traffic regulations, signs, signals and pavement markings apply to bicyclists.
• Always come to a complete stop and look Left-Right-Left again.
• Avoid riding in the dark when possible. If you must ride in the dark wear reflective or lighted clothing and install a bicycle headlight and flashing red taillight on your bike.
• Use hand signals or point when turning.
• Ride in a predictable straight line without a lot of sudden movements.

For more information contact the Crime Prevention Unit at 477-1400

The Lee County Sheriff's Office Crime Prevention Unit has Crime Prevention Specialists available to conduct a variety of training and educational programs.