Drive, walk, bike safe with aloha spirit as school year gets underway on Big Island

The 2024-25 school year begins this week, and the Hawai‘i Police Department is ready to do its part to keep Big Island keiki safe on their way to and from school.

Police also encourage everyone on the island to drive, walk and bike with the aloha spirit.

“The return to school is a pivotal time for our keiki and their families,” said Torey Keltner, Hawai‘i Police Department’s Traffic Services Section program manager. “We are very fortunate to have a strong school crossing guard program here in Hawai‘i County; however, they need our help in areas around schools to ensure this school year is a safe one for our children.”

Here are some traffic safety tips as the new school year gets underway:

Driver awareness

• Slow down. Watch for children walking in the street, especially if there are no sidewalks in the neighborhood.
• When backing out of a driveway or leaving a garage, watch out for children walking or bicycling to school.
• Be alert. Children arriving late for the bus may dart into the street without looking for traffic.
• Watch for children playing and congregating near bus stops.

Enhanced school zone awareness

• Drivers are urged to reduce their speed and be extra cautious in school zones, especially during peak drop-off and pick-up times when keiki are most active.

Increased visibility for pedestrians and cyclists

• Students are encouraged to wear bright clothing and use lights on bicycles.
• Pedestrians should always use crosswalks and be vigilant when crossing streets.

Strict adherence to school bus safety laws

Obey the school bus “flashing signal light system” that school bus drivers use to alert motorists of pending actions:

• Yellow flashing lights indicate the bus will stop to load or unload children. Motorists should slow down and be prepared to stop.
• Red flashing lights and extended stop arms indicate the bus is stopped and children are getting on or off. Motorists must stop and wait until the red lights stop flashing, the extended stop arm is withdrawn and the bus begins moving before they can start driving again.

Everyone has a role to play in keeping students safe — by working together and driving with aloha, slowing down when approaching school zones, paying close attention to crosswalks and helping school crossing guards get children get to school safely.