School's in — drive safely | The Salt Lake Tribune

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Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox joined other officials at Terra Linda Elementary in West Jordan on Tuesday to remind drivers to be extra careful now that school is back in session statewide.

Rolayne Fairclough, spokeswoman for the AAA travel services company, urged motorists to slow down near schools. She said a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling 25 mph is two-thirds less likely to be killed compared to one struck by a car traveling just 10 mph faster.

She urged eliminating distractions while driving, saying taking eyes off the road for two seconds doubles the chance of a crash.

Fairclough also urged parents to walk several times with children along their route to school to point out potential trouble spots, and to ensure they know what traffic signals mean. Remind children to stay on sidewalks, dress in bright cloths and stay in well-lighted areas, she said.