Police to increase patrols in school zones

MOSES LAKE — With the first day of school starting today, the Moses Lake Police Department is cautioning drivers to pay close attention when driving in school zones and said it planned to increase patrols in those areas.

"We'll be having a traffic emphasis in the school zones on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of this week," said police captian Jim Jenkins. They are continuing the emphasis next week.

The biggest causes of accidents in school zones are speed, drivers not paying attention and distractions such as cell phones and radios. Children do not always obey the law when riding bicycles, skateboarding or walking, reports Jenkins. They can travel between cars to enter the road, travel through intersections before the light permits them to do so and walk or skateboard into traffic. Jenkins said drivers should expect children to do the unexpected.

The speed limit in a school zone is 20 miles per hour in Moses Lake, and Jenkins said the fine for speeding is $177.

"We patrol the traffic zones pretty heavily, and we do have a zero tolerance policy," he said.

Parents should evaluate children on a case-by-case basis when allowing them to ride bicycles or skateboards to school, he said. The department also cautioned children to wear helmets and move with traffic, not against it. Backpacks can affect the balance of children on bikes.

Here are some safety tips provided by the department:

? Don't speed

? Don't impede traffic by dropping children off in the middle of the street

? Don't double park

? Don't block intersections or driveways if you park your vehicle

? Don't make u-turns

? Always make sure your children are wearing seat belts when transporting them to and from school

— Staff report