Student safety a priority as classes resume
Sgt. Eric Celedon is preparing to send his oldest son to transitional kindergarten for the first time this year, joining thousands upon thousands of parents in today’s back-to-school ritual.
And just like other parents sending their kids to class, his role at the Bakersfield Police Department puts one thing at the forefront of his mind — his child’s safety.
As the 2024-25 school year is here, Celedon reminds parents and children to remain safe on the road and in school zones. The BPD spokesman urges students and parents to take extra precautions in school areas and follow all rules of the road.
Vehicle versus pedestrian crashes are an ongoing issue in Bakersfield, and Celedon said school zones are no exception.
“Legally, pedestrians are required to utilize crosswalks but considering that these are children, understand that they may not necessarily understand or follow all the rules as they should,” Celedon said. “So people who are within school zones or around school bus stops need to be extra cognizant of their surroundings as these kids are getting used to this new schedule.”
For pedestrians, Celedon said to stay within the crosswalk and use the additional safety resources to cross the street, such as crossing street lights and crossing guards. Don’t enter the crosswalk before a crossing guard indicates to do so. Parents can help teach their kids how and where to cross safely.
Celedon particularly reminds student drivers who may be new to driving to remain aware of their surroundings and watch their speed.
“Follow the rules of the roadway. Be extra vigilant, especially for those motorists that don’t have the experience and time behind the wheel as some adults. Be extra aware of your surroundings for other children that may be darting into the roadway,” Celedon said.
Students who ride their bicycles to school, Celedon said, should stay in the bicycle lanes and ride in the same direction of traffic. He said all the same rules of the road apply to bicyclists — but be careful, because bicyclists are on smaller vehicles and may be harder to see.
Celedon said the most common back-to-school traffic issue that BPD sees is speeding. For all school zones in California, the speed limit is 25 mph. Celedon said school zones are marked by signs to indicate where the zone starts and stops.
Another common issue, Celedon said, is slow-moving crashes caused when cars pull out of a school area into oncoming traffic. He reminds parents and students driving to be extra vigilant and cautious when pulling into the roadway.
Be aware of school buses — if a school bus has its red flashing lights illuminated and its stop sign out, traffic must stop.
Regardless of how students arrive at school, Celedon said student safety is of the utmost importance. Any parent or student who sees something unsafe on campus can contact the Bakersfield Police Department, or their local law enforcement agency for help.