School is now in session at most elementary through high school campuses in Santa Cruz County. In just a few weeks, UCSC will be starting classes too. The net effect is you will likely experience more traffic in your morning and afternoon commutes. This increased traffic comes in all varieties; vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians. Traffic safety and safe school commutes are a priority issue for the Santa Cruz Police Department. Our traffic officers are dedicated to ensuring school zones safe from aggressive and unsafe driving practices. To this end, we will have increased presence around the school zones during the first month of school operations. Some common violations we see around the schools are:
- Speeding (parents late for drop off or pickup)
- Illegal parking (parents late for drop off or pickup and not willing to walk from a distance)
- Illegal turns (parents trying to get that coveted up-close drop off/pick up location)
- Stop Sign Violations
- Not yielding to pedestrians
- Pedestrians crossing unsafely
It is our hope that commuters engage in safe and courteous habits to avoid experiencing an enforcement action. Some tips to help your commute:
- Leave in plenty of time and anticipate heavier than usual traffic
- Be aware of school zones and traveled routes to school
- Be courteous and respectful to all traffic
- Be respectful to neighbors of schools avoiding parking in their driveways or parking lots without their permission
We encourage all commuters to develop safe and courteous habits and help us ensure this school year is a safe one. If you have any questions or concerns about traffic safety in your school zone, please contact our Traffic Unit Sergeant @ (831) 420-5850.
