As students head back to school, local police urge drivers to use extra caution
Gavin Nguyen
INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Students in the Desert Sands and Coachella Valley Unified School Districts head back to school on Wednesday.
With more traffic and kids on the road, local police departments are urging drivers to have extra patience and use caution when driving in and around school zones this school year.
The return also comes as construction continues in cities like La Quinta. Desert Sands Unified has said it is working closely with the city to create maps showing parents alternate routes.
The Indio Police Department showed News Channel 3 problem areas around Shadow Hills High School.
The School Resource Officer at the high school, Officer Timothy Lopez, said Avenue 39 and Jefferson Street become heavily congested during drop-off and pick-up times.
Drivers also fail to obey posted signage, like school-zone speed limits, and often make illegal U-turns across double yellow lines and park illegally to load their kids.
Officer Lopez said it’s important for drivers to avoid making these violations to stay away from hefty citations, and, more importantly, to keep everyone safe on the road.
“It’s not just parents, guardians, staff and students. It’s everyone. You know, everyone needs to have their eyes open, be aware of the surroundings and watch out for one another,” said Lopez.