The end of summer vacation comes too quickly and before you know it, it’s that time of year again! School buses are picking up children all around, parents are in a rush to drop their kids off without being late to work, and kids are on their bikes rushing to catch first period. “This can be a dangerous time because children - as well as drivers - are adjusting to back-to-school routines,” says Alex Epstein, director of Transportation Safety for the National Safety Council (NSC). Fortunately, Antalek & Moore has a few key tips to keep our community safe and happy:

BE PATIENT – STOP AND WAIT
Share the road with school buses. We know the first few days take a little longer to get the kids loaded, but be patient! Who doesn't love a good first day back-to-school picture with their kids waving from the bus?

KIDS IN MOST DANGER NEAR THEIR BUS
According to the National Safety Council, the most dangerous area for children is within 10 feet of their bus. Give them space to load and unload. This is especially true in the first few weeks of school as kids are excited and getting used to this year's routine.
If the bus has its lights on and its stop sign out - it is never safe to pass the bus. This applies to multiple lanes as well, so be aware when traveling on a road like Route 9 as school buses may be traveling in the opposite direction.

WATCH FOR KIDS WALKING TO SCHOOL
We have a good amount of our students who walk to and from school in Beacon. Please be aware of them, especially in a school zone. Be sure to follow posted speed limits, avoid blocking crosswalks when stopped, and keep an eye out for crossing guards.

Many children nationwide begin and end their days with a trip to and from school, whether that’s by bus, walking or biking. By exercising a little extra care and caution, we can create a happy and safe school zone. Wishing all Beacon City School District students, a happy and safe 2019-2020 school year!

During a recent City Council meeting on Tuesday, September 3, Mayor Casale issued a warning to everyone driving that the police are out looking for aggressive driving, and are ready to give tickets. During their meetings this summer, the City Council has been talking about parking issues, possibilities of bike lanes, and traffic congestion in general.

“Police have been on Main Street to watch for this aggressive driving. I sat in a storefront and saw seven U-turns. This is your warning. If you get a ticket, don't call me. Be aware of the law.”

As Main Street fills up with vehicle traffic from tourists and locals, so has reckless driving, especially as the weekend approaches. Illegal U-turns are commonplace, passing on the double yellow line while a car is parking is becoming normal (it’s not legal and is super dangerous… it’s easy to flatten a pedestrian you don’t see crossing while a car is parallel parking), young kids on bikes are doing wheelies while taunting traffic, and other mischievous fun.

The double yellow lines just started getting their seasonal repaint job this week, as announced by the City Administrator Anthony Ruggiero.