Driving Your Child to School: New Drop-Off Rules at Some Schools

The Alameda Police Department offers the following suggestios, tips and information for parents and other drivers, students and cyclists as school gets under way this week. (Be sure to check below for some school-specific information.)

Drivers: 

• SLOW DOWN and expect the unexpected.
• Do not text, talk, or use your phone while driving.
• Yield to school buses.
• Before making a right turn, make sure you check your mirrors and look over your shoulder to make sure there are no cyclist on the road or in the bike lane.
• Curbs designated as “White Zones” are designed as student drop-off/pick-up locations only.
• Do not double park when dropping off your student. Just to give you an idea, a citation for double parking, 22500(h) CVC is $60.00.
• Start your day 5 to 10 minutes earlier and avoid the many headaches related to school traffic. 

Students/Pedestrians/Bicyclists:

• Do not walk/ride and text.
• Do not have both headphones in your ears. Your awareness level drops substantially when you cannot hear what is going on.
• Give yourself plenty of time to get to school.
• Look LEFT, RIGHT, AND LEFT again before crossing the street.
• Use the crosswalk at intersections.
• If riding your bicycle, ALWAYS wear a helmet and obey all the rules of the road just as a motorist does. 

To our parents who have students at Bay Farm Elementary School, please look for the NEW “No Stopping Anytime” signs on Aughinbaugh Way. Do not use this location as a drop off location or as a waiting area for afternoon pick-up. Using this area will result in a $65.00 citation. Use the designated drive through area of the school to deliver and pick-up your student. 

To our parents dropping off students at Haight School, do not “park” in the “White Zones” on Santa Clara Avenue and Lincoln Avenue. These areas are designed for immediate drop-off only. If you need to escort your child onto the school grounds, find a designated parking space. 

The first week of school, will be considered a “grace period,” allowing Alameda police officers to educate the public by providing information on these common traffic-related violations.

Starting the first week of September, police officers and parking technicians will be issuing citations. Keep in mind that a majority of these concerns can be prevented if you give yourself ample time to get from location to location.

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