Law Enforcement out in force for the first days of school

Logan City Police officer Elayne Franco speaking with a driver after pulling them over.

LOGAN — As kids head back to school Thursday, local law enforcement is ramping up patrols of school zones, crosswalks and bus routes.

Detective Gleisberg, of the Logan City Police Department, said with the increase of traffic; as parents are dropping kids off and picking them up, and kids are walking or riding their bikes to school, officers are going to be out looking for traffic violations and reminding drivers of slower speed limits.

“Bottom line is, we just want kids to make it to school safe and home from school safe,” said Gleisberg. “Have a great start to a new school year.”

Officers are going to be paying special attention to the crosswalk at 200 North 400 West, where a new warning sign was built this summer that stretches across the road. Also, 400 North 400 East where Gleisberg said, there have been problems in the past.

“It is a wide road with a lot of pedestrian traffic as well a lot of vehicle traffic in the mornings,” said Gleisberg. “Those are definitely areas that are going to be watched extra close.”

The speed limit in a school zone is reduced to 20 mph when the amber lights are flashing.

Cache County Sheriff Chad Jensen said more deputies will also be patrolling school zones throughout the county during the first week. They will be conducting traffic stops, educating and warning drivers, and citing individuals as necessary.

“We have patrol deputies, we are bringing investigators out of the office, and putting them back in uniforms, on crosswalks and just making a huge visible presence in the community,” said Jensen. “We want to remind everyone that school has started again and that there are kids on the road so people need to be safe as they get back into their school driving habits.”

Drivers are also being reminded to slow down, especially during times when school busses are dropping off or picking up students at bus stops.

Jensen said many of the bus routes in the county are along rural roads that are narrow.

“A lot of these are on two-way roads, further outside of the center of the county,” said Jensen. “The roads get narrow and buses stop right in the middle of the road and kids are crossing the road to get to the school bus. Patience is how we save lives.”

Yellow flashing lights indicate a bus is preparing to stop, load, or unload children. Motorists should slow down and prepare to stop. Red flashing lights and extended stop arms indicate that the bus has stopped, and that children are getting on or off. Motorists must STOP and WAIT until the red lights stop flashing, the extended stop sign is withdrawn, and the bus begins moving before they can start driving again.

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