Full Notification

Santa Paula, Calif. – As the beginning of the new school year approaches next week, the Santa Paula Police Department reminds residents, parents, and students to practice caution and safety in observance of drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists, and school buses.

The first day of school is Wednesday,August 9,2023. Vehicle and pedestrian traffic will be impacted during drop-off and pick-up times. Here are helpful tips for back to school traffic safety:

• Observe and obey speed limits in school zone. School zone posted speed limit is 25 MPH
• Follow the respective school drop-off and pick-up plans to minimize congestion
• Pedestrian Safety – parents and students use designated crosswalks or intersections to safely get to your destination. Before crossing, look left, right, and left again to see if cars are coming
• Bicyclists – ride on the right side of the road with the flow of traffic, walk bikes across the street, and wear a properly fitted helmet & bright clothing
• School Bus Safety – If necessary, go to the bus stop with your child so they follow instructions on how to properly get on and off the bus
• Drivers- Be observant for pedestrians crossing and share the road with bicyclists
• Drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists be predicable and proceed with caution to avoid collisions
• Observe crossing guards and obey their signs and direction
• Police Officers will conduct directed patrols in front of or near schools at drop-off and pick-up times during the first week of school

Common causes of traffic collisions in school zones that officers will focus on traffic enforcement:

•  Speeding–not driving at a safe speed to react to pedestrians, bicyclists, and other vehicles
• Failure to stop at stop signs – not stopping completely or allow pedestrians to cross safely at an intersection
• Unsafepassing - driving over solid lines into opposing traffic to get around stopped vehicles
• Failure to Stop for pedestrians at crosswalks – not allowing for pedestrians to completely cross the street before resuming travel

The Santa Paula Police Department supports traffic safety for our students, schools and neighborhoods. Please travel safely and allow extra travel time to reach your destination.