Drivers, kids need to pay attention

Dear editor:

School is in session and fall is in the air! This is my favorite time of year.

I felt like I needed to write this letter as a reminder for all of us, adults and students alike, because of the time of year that it is.

Today, my 3rd-grade son was nearly hit by an SUV while on a crosswalk by MHHS on South 10th East. I was 10 paces behind him when it happened, and it scared me to DEATH. The driver was turning left, into the sun, and didn't see him. This time of year, the angle of the sun is horrible, and the glare makes it extremely difficult to see while you are driving toward it. The driver realized that he or she nearly hit him when their passenger looked out and saw that their vehicle was right beside him.

When you are turning east at a crosswalk and into a glare, please assume that a person IS in the crosswalk as opposed to the crosswalk being empty, and gauge your driving speed accordingly.

Please tell your high school-age driver to do the same. You may also want to tell your child to not assume that a driver can see them when they are in the crosswalk, and for them to stop if the car doesn't.

Another favor: if you have a student in middle school, please insist that they use the crosswalk. Five minutes after my son was nearly hit, a middle school student was going to jaywalk at Maverik by Jackson Street. I said "Use the crosswalk... you are going to get hit by a car otherwise." He gave me the "Jeez, old lady, I will not!" look, but he did go to the crosswalk.

The intersection of Jackson and 10th Street is terribly dangerous, and it is our job as parents to educate our children about the perils of that intersection.

Kenda Schroeder

Mountain Home Traffic Safety Advisory Board Member