Traffic warnings issued for schools

Overall, the first day of school seemed to go well for law enforcement authorities, but Sgt. Rick Viola of the Mountain Home Police Department is urging all drivers to be on the alert for children walking to school.

"Keep your eyes open. Remember that anyone in a crosswalk has the right of way. And kids need to make sure they're using the crosswalk," and walking on sidewalks, not the streets, wherever possible.

Hacker Middle School continued to see the most traffic congestion of any of the schools, Viola said. Drivers are urged to avoid that area when school is starting and getting out.

Parents dropping children off at Hacker are reminded that they must pull to the curb to let their children out of the car. They should not stop in the roadway to drop their children off and Viola urged them not to drop them off on the other side of the street from the school as well. "When you have kids darting across the street in front of traffic it is very dangerous," he said.

Police are monitoring the area and will be handing out warning tickets for the first week or two of school, but after that citations will be issued.

The high school also is seeing a significant change in traffic flow patterns this year.

Due to the influx of ninth-grade students at Mountain Home High School, many of whom do not drive, the entire front of the school has been devoted to temporary parking, in order to accommodate parents dropping off their children or picking them up.

Buses are now loading and unloading students on the north side of the school, adjacent to the parking lot and activity field.

"Overall, we didn't have too many problems there (Monday)," Viola said of the changes at the high school. "It was relatively smooth."

Viola urged all drivers anywhere near a school in the morning or afternoon to drive with extra caution.