Our Turn: School Zones

The beginning of a new school year signals the return of the school zones to many of our daily commutes. All of us need to be reminded to respect the safety of children by slowing down when driving around schools.

School zones are posted for 20 miles per hour weekday mornings from 6:30 to 9 and afternoons from 2 to 4. However it's important to always be cautious when near a school.

A number of elementary schools feature outdoor recess. And many students participate in extracurricular activities on campus until late in the evening.

And new this year is implementation of a law that will bring fines against people caught using a cell phone in school zones. Violators will face fines of up to $175-dollars for a first violation.

Finally, keep in mind that we will again be sharing the road with school buses. It is illegal to pass a school bus while students are boarding or exiting.

That's Our Turn, now it's Your Turn. To comment on this segment or anything else, visit us on Facebook or send an e-mail to YourTurn@WAFB.com.