JACKSON, Wyo. — With the arrival of the 2023/2024 school year for Teton County School District #1 on Tuesday, Sept. 5, motorists are reminded to be extra alert during this time.

Back-to-school is an exciting time for children, especially those attending school for the first time. This also means that young, inexperienced children are in the traffic mix, walking along the side of roads and waiting for buses.

Residents should watch carefully for children near school buildings, in areas where school buses are traveling and where there are signs for school zones and bus stops. If you are approaching a school bus from either the front or behind, and its yellow lights are flashing, the bus is preparing to stop. If the bus’s red lights are flashing you must stop.

Motorists are asked to drive cautiously and allow themselves plenty of time to get to their destinations, especially at times when children will be getting on or off school buses. Jackson Police will continue to enforce speed limits and school bus passing violations in and around school areas and where children are being picked up and dropped off.

Motorists can help reduce risk to children going to and from school by:

  • Slowing down in school and residential areas
  • Watching for clues that give warning of children in the area (bicycles, crossing guards, school buses)
  • Obeying all traffic signs/symbols
  • Avoiding school zones, if possible, during arrival and dismissal hours
  • Clearing any frost, fog or snow from windows before driving

Parents are encouraged to instruct their children about safe crossing practices before the opening of the school year including using sidewalks, crosswalks and designated school crossings whenever possible.

Safety tips for pedestrians and cyclists:

  • Walk facing traffic if there are no sidewalks
  • Make a plan to bike in designated bike lanes. If a road must be used that does not have a bike lane, bike with the direction of traffic
  • Wear bright-colored clothing to increase visibility
  • When biking, always wear a helmet
  • Be sure to have reflectors on your pedals, frame and wheels
  • Cross only at corners or marked crosswalks
  • Walk in groups; drivers are more likely to see groups of people
  • Before crossing the street, stop and look left, then right, then left again
  • Follow the Rules of the Road

Lindsay is a contributing reporter covering a little bit of everything; with an interest in local policies and politics, the environment and amplifying community voices. She's curious about uncovering the "whys" of our region and aims to inform the community about the issues that matter. In her free time, you can find her snowboarding, cooking or planning the next surf trip.

She's a lover of alliteration, easy-to-follow recipes and board games when everyone knows the rules. Her favorite aspect about living in the Tetons is the collective admiration that Wyomingites share for the land and the life that it sustains.