AAA Texas Reminds Motorists to Drive Carefully When Schools Are Open.

HOUSTON -- As more than four million Texas students return to school, AAA Texas reminds motorists to slow down and drive carefully.

"Children get caught up in the excitement going 'back-to-school' and often forget to look out for cars," said Rose Rougeau, spokesperson for AAA Texas. "Many children have trouble making accurate judgments about traffic speed and distance, so drivers have to be particularly aware."

One-fifth of all children 14 years of age and younger who die in motor vehicle crashes are pedestrians, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. These pedestrian fatalities are more likely to happen in the afternoon hours, when school is letting out.

AAA's School's Open - Drive Carefully campaign encourages motorists to stay alert in areas where children are present, paying special attention during the morning and afternoon hours while children are going to and from school.

As part of the School's Open - Drive Carefully campaign, AAA Texas offers drivers tips to keep school children safe:

--Recent studies have shown that more than one-third of motorists in school zones or neighborhoods just "roll through" intersections with a stop sign. Slow down in or near school and residential areas, and be sure to come to a complete stop in all intersections.

--Drivers should look out for children who may dart out into the street near school zones, playgrounds, bus stops, and in neighborhoods. School-age children can be especially vulnerable in areas with heavy traffic volume, parked vehicles on the street, higher posted speed limits and few pedestrian control devices.

--Look for clues such as crossing guards, bicycles and playgrounds which indicate children could be in the area.

--Drive with your headlights on--even during the day--so children and other drivers can see you.

--Scan between parked cars and other objects for signs that children could dart into the road.

--Practice extra caution in adverse weather conditions.

--Always stop for school buses that are loading and unloading students. It is illegal for a motorist to drive by a school bus that has stopped to receive or discharge a student if the bus has its lights flashing or a stop sign out. The driver may not proceed until the school bus resumes motion, the driver is signaled by the bus driver to proceed or the visual signal is no longer activated. (A driver on a highway with separate roadways is not required to stop for a school bus that is on a different roadway.)

AAA Texas, an affiliate of AAA National, has been serving Texans since 1902. Today, more than one million AAA Texas members benefit from the organization's roadside assistance service, travel agency, financial products, insurance products and services, automotive pricing, buying and financing, trip planning services and traffic safety programs. Information about these products and services is available on AAA Texas' web site at www.aaa-texas.com.