Published: August 25, 2008 11:48 am         

First day of class hits traffic hard

Students all over the state headed back to classes today.

Police officers were on hand near some Gainesville schools this morning.

“The officers were just out (at Gainesville High School) to help with traffic and parking,” said GISD director of public relations, Kim Ralston.

Rural districts are more often isolated from any sort of police presence.

Cooke County Sheriff Mike Compton said districts sometimes hire off-duty deputies to patrol near their schools, especially during the first few weeks of classes when drivers may not be used to looking out for students and obeying school zone speed limits.

Compton said his office does not have the man-power to rotate deputies into and out of county school zones. But these off-duty officers are allowed to use their patrol vehicles around schools.

“Since this (school zone patrol) is in the interest of public education they can use their cars,” he said.

Officers are also watching out for school children.

“This time of year, we are always more aware of, and we always enforce laws against, the hazardous violations that endanger school kids,” he said.

Rural school zones can be dangerous places with speed limits that may vary according to the zone’s location.

In Valley View, the school zone speed limit is 25 on the frontage road near Valley View High School and Middle School.

Outside the elementary building, the limit changes to 20 miles per hour during certain hours.

Interim Superintendent Monica Parkhill said the speed limit restrictions may become 24-hour a day limits.

“There is a measure before the city council to make the speed limits effective at all times,” Parkhill said.

Parkhill said her advice to drivers and parents is to get in the habit of slowing down in school zones.

Drivers who disregard stopped school buses are another concern.

“Drivers need to remember to stop for a stopped school bus. I know many people are in a hurry, but they have think is it really going to be worth it if they hit a child,” she said.