Local Police Caution Parents and Kids as School Resumes

It's a back to school week for Lamorinda kids this week and our local police chiefs said to wish everyone good luck, but also to tell everyone - parents and kids alike - to stay alert and aware of their surroundings.

"The one message for all is to use common sense," said Moraga Police Chief Bob Priebe, who usually gets the phone call when there's little common sense to be found in Moraga. "Slow down, pay more attention, and look for vehicular, pedestrian, and bicycle traffic."

The chiefs said first day of school can be particularly troublesome as first-time drivers hit the local high schools and everyone is trying to keep to new schedules. The always-annoying Murphy's Law, Priebe said, is almost sure to make an appearance.

"Expect delays and plan for it," he added.

Orinda Police Chief Jeffrey Jennings also advised parents to help their kids plan for their return to school. He sent us a list of things parents and their children can do to help everyone make it safely through the new school year:

1. Plan a walking route with your children; choose the most direct route with the fewest street crossings. Tell your child to stay away from parks, vacant lots, fields and other places where there aren't many people around.
2. Tell your children to never talk with strangers, or accept rides or gifts from strangers.
3. Have your child walk to school with a sibling, friend or neighbor when possible.
4. When riding a bike, you must obey all the same traffic rules as someone driving at the wheel of a car, stopping at stop signs, etc. Helmets are mandatory, with statistics showing wearing one can reduce the chance of head injury by 85 percent.
5. If your child rides the bus, have them arrive early, stay out of the street and wait for the bus to come to a complete stop before they approach it.
6. The posted speed limit around most local schools is 25 mph, 15 mph at Glorietta Elementary, but a safe speed when children are present would be something less than the posted limit.
7. Remember that it is against the law to use a cell phone or to text while driving, and that even use of a hands-free device can be distracting and should be avoided in school zones or areas where children are present at all times.

That may seem simplistic to some, but the chiefs wouldn't keep saying this if they weren't seeing people violating these simple concepts on a regular basis. Also of note, local police advised kids not to succumb to "Texting Fixation," where they are focused on a hand-held device, and not their surroundings. 

Those very devices, besides being a distracting temptation for kids walking or, worse, driving - have also become a highly tempting target for thieves.