Are you ready for the first day of school at Lockhart ISD? So are your School Resource Officers from the Lockhart Police Department!

Here are some safety tips for you from Texas Department of Transportation, NHTSA, and LPD's Ofcr. Parra as you anticipate increased pedestrian and vehicle traffic in school zones and neighborhoods leading up to that first school bell:

Tips for Driving in School Zones

**Be aware that traffic patterns around school zones may have changed since the last school year.
**Stay alert and put your cell phone away. Using a handheld electronic device while driving in an active school zone is against the law.
**Always obey school zone speed limit signs. Remember, traffic fines increase in school zones.
**Drop off and pick up your children in your school’s designated areas, not the middle of the street.
**Keep an eye on children gathered at bus stops.
**Watch for children who might dart across the street or between vehicles.
**As always, stay away from alcohol and other drugs that may impair driving. They affect your ability to remain alert, decision-making, reflexes, and reaction time.

Tips for Children Walking or Biking to School

**Always use sidewalks. If there’s not a sidewalk, walk on the left side of the street facing traffic.
**If there is no sidewalk, walk facing traffic and as far from traffic as possible.
**Cross the street at intersections or marked crosswalks. Look left, right and left again before proceeding.
**Always obey crossing guards.
**Make eye contact with drivers before crossing the street. Never assume a driver sees you.
**Look for traffic when stepping off a bus or from behind parked cars.
**Always wear a helmet when riding a bicycle.
**Don’t be distracted by electronic devices that take your eyes and ears off the road.
**Follow all traffic rules, signs and signals.