State troopers offer back to school driving advice

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WBRC) - Many Alabama students are returning to class this week, including in Tuscaloosa where state troopers are discussing safe driving habits from home to school and back again.

This is an exciting time for students and parents, but it can also be a nervous time for some people with more traffic on roadways including a lot of school busses, not to mention groups of kids waiting at bus stops.

Listen up moms and dads, state troopers suggest parents do test runs with their young drivers if they will be driving to school for the first time this year. During those test runs, make sure your student driver is familiar with different routes to get to school if they must take an alternate route for some reason.

Anytime you see a bus stopped in a marked school zone, stop at least 20 feet behind the bus.

Corporal Reginal King also wants inexperienced drivers to limit the number of distractions inside their vehicle, so no cell phones.

He also adds that Alabama law says a 16-year-old driver is not allowed to have more than one person not related to them in their vehicle.

“Driving is a full-time responsibility that requires your undivided attention,” King said. “Minimizing the number of people in the car with the 16-year-old, or the stage two driver, will reduce the chances of them perhaps being involved in a traffic crash.”

Expect more traffic on roadways when school starts this week. So, think about leaving 20 minutes earlier than you originally planned.

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