The South Orange–Maplewood School District, Maplewood Police Department and South Orange Police Department sent out a joint letter to the community on Thursday saying that in light of recent collisions involving students and motor vehicles, they are working together to “reinforce the importance of student and traffic safety throughout our communities.”
“Keeping our students safe is a shared responsibility. We appreciate your partnership in reinforcing these important reminders with your children and helping ensure that our streets and sidewalks remain safe for everyone,” the email stated. “Thank you for your continued support and commitment to the safety and well-being of our students and community,” the email containing the letter read.
There have been collisions in both Maplewood and South Orange involving students on their way to or from school and while none of the students was seriously injured, it demonstrates “the importance of preventing collisions and ensuring students know how to respond when one occurs.”
The letter has advice on and outlines ways for preventing collisions for drivers, for students walking or riding their bikes, for families and caregivers and for the community and it includes paying attention and reducing distractions, particularly cell phone use when driving, cycling or walking.
The full letter is below:
