Class is back in session for the Washoe County School District. As students make their way to and from school, the district is asking drivers to stay extra cautious on the roads.
"We have over 60,000 students returning to school today," said Jennifer Iveson, coordinator for Safe Routes to School. "We have an increased number of vehicles and pedestrians in and around our school zones today. We want to ask drivers to just slow down, pay attention, stay alert."
Not all schools start at the exact same time, so it's important to check the road signs that will tell you when school speed limits are active.
Washoe County School Police Chief Seana Baker says traffic laws are very strict in school zones and drivers tend to break them a lot more often than they think.
"There's going to be a lot of U-turns," said Baker. "Be mindful that U-turns in a school zone are absolutely illegal. It's dangerous because you can't always see your surroundings and there could be students crossing in those areas, and then the crosswalk violations, we just want to be mindful of that."
Chief Baker says drivers could face heavy fines if caught breaking any traffic laws in school zones.
But the school district says students need to be just as responsible as drivers.
"Distraction goes both ways," Iveson explains. "If you are a student, make sure you are not distracted, make sure you're not on your phone, make sure that you're paying attention to what you're doing."
She says pedestrians need to look both ways before crossing, and make eye contact with drivers. Iveson tells us you should never assume drivers can see you in case they might be distracted or have a hard time seeing the road, especially first thing in the morning when the sun is glaring straight through their windshield.
And it's not just mornings where school zones will be really busy. You want to make sure you're keeping your eyes peeled at all times, especially for after school programs like sports and clubs as well.
