The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1954-09-17
FOR CHILDREN'S
SAKE PLEASE USE
CARE IN DRIVING
They've Gone Back to School
Safely; Let's Keep EN-
That Way

bells has called North Carolina
youngsters back to a new school
year. During the months ahead,
some children will learn to read
and write, some will delve into
the mysteries of arithmetic and
science-and all of them will
gain wider appreciation of the
world in which they live.
We wish every success to these
youngsters as we turn them over
to their teachers for another
year of learning. But there is one
sense in which we cannot turn
them over to the care of their
teachers. Each one of us must
retain certain responsibility for
the welfare of North Carolina
children-and that holds true
even if those children belong to
someone else. I'm. saying that
each one of us bears response
bility for the health and safety
of the children in our commun-
ity.
In North Carolina-just last
year-97 youngsters between
five and IA years of age died in
traffic accidents. / can think of
no accident that we hear or read
about that strikes us with so
shocking sense of tragedy as
the death of a child in traffic
mishap. That feeling should re-
suit in a conviction that such
accidents much not occur. Driv-
ers should be constantly on the
alert for children. And children
should be taught to be constant
~ aware of traffic dangers. Par
ents-you and lean do much
by teaching and displaying a
good example.
| Officials of the community in
which you live likewise bear an
important responsibility to see
that safety education is given
due prominence, to see that
crosswalks are adequately mark
ed, to see that police and safety
patrol protection is reasonable,
and to conduct vigorous and
continuing traffic safety pro-
gram.
What of the drivers response
bility. A motorist who has in
jured or killed a child with his
car will never forget the horror
of it-nor will he ever drive near
a school where children may be
playing without the greatest
caution. Every motorist should
use the same caution-before he
faces the danger of such an ex-
perience. He should watch out,
not only for children on foot, but
also for bicyclists, roller skaters
and those on scooters and tri-
cyles.
Every motor vehicle operator
should be acquainted fully with
the law respecting school zones
and school children. The follow
ing rules are all-important:
Slow down to Is miles per
hour when passing a school at
times that children are present.
Slow down to Is miles per
hour when passing an intersec-
ton properly marked with a
SCHOOL CROSSING sign, when
children are crossing or about to
cross.
Stop for school buses which
have stopped to take on or dis
charge passengers.
In addition to respecting these
regulations, motorists must bear
in mind that when children are
learning the rules of safety, they
forget sometimes, and in the ex-
element of play will run into the
street.
The goal of teaching safety
habits is to develop such patterns
of behavior that safety becomes
almost automatic. The first and
primary responsibility for such
teaching rests with the parents,
who can best teach by good ex-
ample.
When you advise your young
sters to cross streets only at in
tersections, with the green light,
or when atraffic officer or school
patrol directs pedestrians to
cross-make sure you show ap-
probation of such advice in your
own walking.
Make sure, too, that you obey
the traffic rules governing opera
ton of your family car. Even
little children will know when
you are disobeying the law, and
such disobedience can under
mine the value Of your verbal
instructions.
AS in other training, do not
allow mistakes to 60 unnoticed-
until they develop into the kind
of habits that make accidents.
If your youngster rides a BIZ
cycle going to school, make sure
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