Highway safety officials remind motorists that, with the school year drawing to a close, there will be more young people on or near roadways, and drivers need to take additional cautions to help keep children safe.

“Motorists need to watch their speed and be aware of changes that will likely occur on their routes as summer starts. Your regular path to work might take you through neighborhoods that, in summer, might be teeming with children. As a motorist, you have to navigate the route much differently than you would during the school year,” said Louisiana Highway Safety Commission Executive Director John LeBlanc.

He also recommended parents remind their children about safety rules and expectations.

Here are some highway safety tips for summer safety:

• Reduce your speed when traveling through residential areas. Be prepared for the unexpected, such as a child darting into the street.
• Be aware that children might have more difficulty seeing (and being seen by) drivers of all types of vehicles.
• Teach children to walk on sidewalks when available. If there are no sidewalks, they should walk along the side of the road, facing oncoming traffic.
• Instruct them to cross the street at crosswalks or corners.
• Tell children to ride bicycles on the right, in the same direction as other vehicles or to use bike lanes if available.
• Fit children with a bicycle helmet, and insist they use it.