To the Editor:

Its been two weeks since school opened with parents and students navigating the new bus pick-up parameters.

The change in bus pick-up schedules has doubled the number of students walking and biking at Conneaut Elementary. I’m sure the same is happening at the other grade schools. Plus, there are three new street crossing locations staffed with guards.

Forty children, plus parents, cross the corner at Conneaut Avenue and Haskins Road between 8:15 and 9 a.m. and 3:10 and 4 p.m. every school day.

That’s a 100% increase over last school year.

In addition, the high school varsity and JV track teams cross that corner twice a week to train on Conneaut hill. That’s about 35 runners.

Given these factors, I’m suggesting the following for parent/drivers:

School zones aren’t currently deemed “no talk/no text” areas, but a voluntary effort to drive that way would be safe idea.

Become familiar with “right of way rules” at four-way stops.

Please don’t wave children across in front of your car. There are three other lanes of active traffic so you might put the child in harms way.

Please use your turn signals so everyone knows your intentions.

If the vehicle in front if you has made a legal full stop that doesn’t mean you have. “Hooking on” to the car in front of you and jumping the intersection can cause accidents as drivers in the other three lanes are anticipating when they can go.

Be an extra safe driver. It literally takes just seconds to protect our kids.

Chris Burch

School crossing guard, Conneaut Elementary

Bowling Green