MARIES COUNTY — Students have returned to classrooms across Maries County, bringing school buses, increased traffic and more children walking, biking and waiting near roadways.

Classes began Monday, Aug. 24, for students in the Maries County R-1 School District, while students returned Tuesday, Aug. 25 in the Maries County R-2 District.

With the start of the school year, drivers, parents and students are encouraged to review basic safety practices that can help prevent accidents and keep children safe while traveling to and from school.

Drivers should be especially alert during the morning and afternoon hours when students are traveling between home and school. Children may be waiting near roadways, crossing streets or getting on and off school buses, sometimes in areas where motorists have grown accustomed to lighter traffic during the summer months.

Motorists should slow down in school zones and residential areas and be prepared to stop when approaching crosswalks, bus stops and groups of children near the roadway.

School buses also require additional attention from drivers. When a bus begins slowing or activates its warning lights, motorists should anticipate that it may be preparing to stop to pick up or discharge students. Drivers should leave plenty of space between their vehicle and the bus and never attempt to pass when the bus is stopped and children may be entering or crossing the roadway.

Distractions can make already busy school traffic more dangerous. Drivers should avoid using cellphones or doing anything else that takes their attention away from the road, particularly near schools, bus stops and intersections.

Parents can also help by reminding children to use sidewalks when available, cross at designated crossings whenever possible and look both ways before entering a street. Children waiting for a school bus should remain a safe distance from the roadway until the bus has stopped and it is safe to approach.

Students riding bicycles should wear helmets, follow traffic rules and remain aware of vehicles entering or leaving driveways and parking lots.

School parking lots and pickup areas can become congested quickly. Drivers should follow posted traffic patterns, avoid blocking crosswalks and watch carefully for children moving between parked vehicles.

Belle Marshal Jerry Coborn said, “Parents send their kids off to school with the expectation of seeing them again. Watch your speed, watch for kids and pay attention to buses.”

A daily commute that was relatively quiet during summer vacation may soon include buses making frequent stops, crossing guards directing traffic and students traveling along roadsides. Allowing a few extra minutes for morning and afternoon travel can reduce the temptation to speed or make unsafe maneuvers around school traffic.

As Maries County R-1 and Maries County R-2 begin another school year, motorists are reminded that back-to-school safety is a community responsibility. Slowing down, staying attentive and expecting children to be near the roadway can help make the return to school safer for students, families, bus drivers and everyone sharing the road.