The Collier
County Sheriff’s Office’s annual back-to-school countdown is underway.
Look for lighted
marquee message boards around Collier County, reminding the community that the
first day of school is Aug. 18.
The boards
carry this message: “School Starts August 18 – Give Kids A Brake.”
Message
boards are up at the following intersections:
-
Airport-Pulling Road, north of Vanderbilt Beach Road
- Immokalee
Road, east of Collier Boulevard
- Golden
Gate Boulevard, east of Big Cypress Elementary School
- Livingston
Road, near Vanderbilt Beach Road
-
Airport-Pulling Road, near Poinciana Elementary School
- Oil Well
Road, near Corkscrew Elementary School
- Golden
Gate Parkway, near 44th Street Southwest
The intent
of the seven-day countdown is to remind the community that the start of the
school year is near. Traffic will be more congested around schools and students
will be walking and riding bicycles along the roadways. And school speed zones
will be back in operation.
The goal of
the countdown is to educate the community on ways to change driving behavior in
order to reduce serious bodily injury and fatal crashes involving youth and the
general public.
The
countdown is also a way to remind schoolchildren that they need to think about
their own safety, whether they’re on the bus, on the sidewalk, at school, or
with friends.
During the
first week of school deputies will be at the elementary school student drop-off
lines to greet parents and arriving students. Elementary school deputies will
also be at the student pick-up lines during dismissal, when parents pick up
their child.
Also during the
first week of school deputies in marked patrol vehicles and in unmarked
vehicles with their emergency lights flashing will be parked at school speed
zones.
Deputies
will also be at crossing guard intersections and other areas where large groups
of students walk to and from school.
