Oviedo in the News

Chief's Corner

Beginning of School Safety Reminders

The current Seminole County Public Schools calendar indicates August 10 as the first day of school. In these changing and challenging COVID 19 times, SCPS has parent resources to help children reintegrate back into regular school life. 

When school starts again, there are yearly reminders I like to send out to help keep our youth safe as the school year begins. The beginning of school is when many young children start walking and biking to and from school. 

For a significant number of children, it is their first time attending school. There will be additional congestion in and around schools and when school car lines magically reappear. Expect that traffic in and around schools will be heavy and may include longer than expected car lines.  

High school-age students start driving the same route to and from school each weekday, adding to the regular traffic. The police department typically receives calls for speeding along these routes, which results in officers being assigned traffic enforcement along those routes. 

This time of year always results in additional police presence in the area of the schools as officers start to monitor school zones, the safety of students, walkers, and bike riders, and react to citizen complaints regarding traffic issues related to the starting of the school year. There is an Officer assigned to every public school in Oviedo.

Drivers need to pay particular attention to the school zone speed limits. Parents parking in school car lines, please remember to consider not blocking driveways and pay specific attention to walkers and bike riders. Please don't drive distracted. Lives are at stake. Remember to follow speed limits in neighborhoods and stop completely for stop signs. With additional traffic congestion, give yourself a little more time to get to your destination. The first two days of school tend to have the longest car lines. Typical concerns called into the police during the first few weeks of school are speeding on the main roadways going to and from the high schools before school starts and after school ends and speeding/stop sign violations in neighborhood streets near all schools.

Parents whose children walk to school, please remind your children:

• to use the sidewalk where available and if children must walk in the street
• walk facing traffic; when crossing the street to stop and look left, right, and left again to see if cars are coming 
• do not dart out into traffic 
• never use headphones when walking 
• and never text or talk on the phone while walking

Parents with bike riders should practice walking to school with their children. Also, please ensure they have a helmet that is fitted and secured correctly. 

Make sure your child knows the rules of the road: 

• ride single file on the right side of the road 
• come to a complete stop before crossing the street 
• always walk a bike across roadways 
• and always wear brightly-colored clothing

Both children and drivers tend to have a lot of new distractions as school starts. In addition, a significant number of school-age drivers are new to driving, which can raise the probability of accidents. 

As Chief, I ask you to increase your awareness as school starts and parents to discuss safety issues with their children. If you see a traffic or safety concern related to the school year, contact your local police department to let us know your concern. Be aware we are out there ensuring the streets are as safe as possible as school starts. 

Together we make a difference.

Dale Coleman
Oviedo Police Chief