Students across the region are returning to school.
And that means your morning and afternoon commutes are going to look a lot different with hundreds of school buses on the roads and thousands of students making their way to and from school.
"You will want to leave for work or for your destinations about 20 minutes earlier than you have been throughout the summer," suggested Rochester City School District Deputy Superintendent Casandra Wright.
Wright stood recently in front of School 8 on St. Paul Street with representatives from local law enforcement and AAA of Western and Central New York, whose "School's Open" safety campaign is in its 80th year.
One big focus of the campaign is a state law requiring motorists to stop at least 20 feet away from a stopped school bus that has its red lights flashing while picking up or dropping off students.
"They may be excited about their first day of school, talking with friends, or simply not paying attention to traffic. As drivers, it is our responsibility to be paying attention. No appointment, commute, or destination is worth putting a child's life at risk," said New York State Police trooper and public information officer Lynnea Crane.
Over the past three years, nearly 20,000 tickets were issued for violations of that law across the Monroe County school districts that participate in the county's school bus safety program. Crane said officers will be out enforcing the law, but they would much rather see motorists comply with it in the first place.
Police are also urging drivers to keep an eye out for kids on bicycles and e-bikes. With the arrival of fall come later sunrises and earlier sunsets, which can make it more difficult to spot pedestrians and bicyclists during the morning and evening.
Students in the Rochester City school district return to class on Tuesday. Other local districts, including Brockport, East Rochester, Fairport, Penfield, Webster, and Wheatland-Chili opened the school year on Sept. 2.
