As Dunkirk City Schools District elementary schools start to reopen on Monday, Dunkirk Police Department officials are reminding everyone to pay close attention to children as they walk to and from school and to obey the laws regarding speed in school zones, walking in the roadway, riding bicycles and yielding the right of way to stopped school buses.

The speed limit in school zones is 15 miles an hour for all school areas except 20 miles an hour on Route 60 at School 3 and 25 miles an hour on Route 5 at School 7 from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. any day that school is in session. The police department will have patrol officers checking the school zone areas for violations of the speed limit. The priority in enforcing the speed zone laws is for the safety of the children. Voluntary compliance is helpful but there will be strict enforcement and traffic summonses will be issued for the safety of the children. Enforcement will start in the elementary school zones on Monday as these building open up.

Department officials want people to be aware and pay close attention to children who are walking to and from school, especially at intersections and crosswalks. All motorists should pay attention to and follow all directions of the school crossing guards and police officers who are at the intersections directing the children safely across the streets. Failure to stop as directed can result in the arrest of the vehicle operator. Plan a little extra time to get to destinations while school is in session.

Motorists must stop for school buses that have their red lights flashing. All vehicles on the highway operating in any direction on single lane or multiple lane highways must stop before their vehicle reaches the school bus when the bus has its red flashing lights in operation. The operators of vehicles cannot proceed past any such bus until the lights stop flashing or they are signaled by the bus driver or a police officer to safely proceed. Violations will be strictly dealt with and the punishment can range from fines to jail time or a combination of both.

“We take violations of this law very seriously,” said David Ortolano, Dunkirk police chief, in a news release. “Throughout the school year we will have patrols checking on school bus operations to ensure safety.”

Parents are asked to talk with their children about the dangers of them talking with or getting into a vehicle with any strangers or entering a house of a stranger. If approached by any stranger teach children to run away, scream, yell and find a teacher, police officer, crossing guard or an adult they know and tell them what happened. If a child has a cell phone, talk with them about being familiar with street names and calling 911 for help in an emergency.

When the middle school reopens parents who drop their children off at the middle school on Eagle Street are to drop off only on the west side, the same side as the school, as dropping off on the east side will put the children in danger crossing the road in front of traffic and trying to make a left turn into the loop causes traffic back up and safety issues as well. There are signs in place that prohibit the left turn into the bus loop. The Dunkirk Police Department will have patrols in the area to monitor the situation.

The department is also issuing a reminder to everyone about walking in the road. Walking in the road is dangerous and if traffic is obstructed, it is a violation of the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law and also the state Penal Law, depending upon the situation. Anyone riding a bicycle is reminded that they must follow all the rules of the road as if they were a vehicle. The Dunkirk Police Department will have enforcement in all areas to maintain vehicular, pedestrian and bicycle safety.

“Again we are urging parents to talk with their children about these safety issues,” Ortolano said. “By spending a few extra minutes as drivers of vehicles or as parents talking with their children everyone can help make school a safe, enjoyable learning experience. The children of today hold the key to the future and we must take the extra precautions to protect them and keep them safe.”