Crime & Safety

School's Open – Drive Carefully, City of Peekskill Police Department Urges

Be alert, watch for kids.

The Peekskill Police Department is urging parents to teach their children some simple safety tips before they head back to school. 

“ We have many children who will be walking to and from school in addition to school buses stopping for children – many for the first time," said Lt. Cathy Johansen of the Peekskill Community Policing Unit. “Everyone who drives has a responsibility to be especially careful during this busy time for kids but parents need to help also.”

Hundreds of young children are killed each year in collisions with motor vehicles, and thousands are severely injured. Children tend to be at greater risk during the back-to-school period because they tend to be thinking more about seeing their friends and new teachers than they are about watching for cars and trucks.

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Here in Peekskill, we have a tremendous walking school population, so to help protect the kids, Lt. Johansen offers these six pedestrian-safety tips from AAA New York, the local AAA affiliate:

  • Look all ways before crossing the street.
  •  Cross only at corners.
  • Obey police officers, school crossing guards, members of AAA School Safety Patrols, and traffic
  • signals.
  • Watch for turning cars.
  • Be especially alert in bad weather.
  • Play away from traffic.

Lt. Johansen states, “We can not emphasis enough the need for children to be mindful while they walk to and from school – parents need to be involved.” For more information, parents can visit the New York AAA website www.ny.aaa.com. Let’s have a safe school year.

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