As summer vacation winds down here in Louisiana, the back-to-school season begins. For many students, it brings excitement, new beginnings, and reconnecting with friends. However, for drivers on Louisiana’s roads, it also signals significant changes in traffic patterns and a higher risk of accidents. Streets become busy with school buses, parents rushing to drop off children, and lots of young people walking and biking to and from school.
Whether driving a car or truck in Bastrop, Columbia, Monroe, Rayville, Ruston, West Monroe or other locations, remember that school zones are high-risk areas, especially during student drop-off and pick-up times. According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, statistics over a nine-year period showed that more school-age pedestrians were killed from 3 p.m. to 3:59 p.m. than during any other hours of the day (2013-2022). Actions such as driving distracted, speeding, passing illegally, and failing to yield to pedestrians in crosswalks can lead to fatalities.
Tips For Back-To-School Driving And Year-Round Safety In Louisiana
Simple driving precautions increase safety in school zones.
- Obey Posted Speed Limits: Louisiana law strictly enforces reduced speeds in school zones. These limits are not merely suggestions; they are legally mandated for a reason – to provide drivers with more time to react to the unpredictable movements of children and others in congested areas. When it is rainy, foggy, or there is glare from the sun, ease off the gas even more.
- Put Down The Phone: Using a mobile device in a school zone is not only a huge source of dangerous distracted driving but also can subject you to significant fines ($250) and much more should you injure or kill someone due to device use. In August 2025, a new Louisiana law went into effect which allows law enforcement officers to pull you over solely for holding a phone while driving in a school zone.
- Look Out For Students And School Staff: Pay careful attention to sidewalks, crosswalks, and areas around parked cars. Children, especially smaller ones, can be difficult to see. Make eye contact with pedestrians and cyclists to ensure they see you during this back-to-school driving time.
- Don’t Tailgate: Leave extra room between you and the vehicle in front of you when driving in case of sudden stops that happen often in busy areas like school zones.
- Know School Bus Laws And Follow Them: Remember that when a school bus has its flashing red lights on, you need to stop and remain stopped until the lights stop flashing. This applies to drivers in all lanes on single, two-lane, and multi-lane roads without a median or other barrier. If on a road with a physical median or separation, vehicles travelling in the same direction as the bus must still stop.
As we enter another back-to-school season, let’s commit to patience, and adherence to traffic laws, especially in school zones and around buses. While my firm is here to help those who have been injured due to another’s negligence, our ultimate hope is to prevent accidents from happening in the first place. Let’s work together to make this back-to-school driving season a safe one for all Louisiana students, ensuring they can focus on their education and future.
