Police: School starts Monday; traffic rules will be enforced

ALBANY, Ga. – The signs tell the story: Slow down in a school zone as children are going to or leaving school.

“We want to remind the public, even if they don’t have children in school, they need to be aware of the school zones and the signs so they can be careful, especially this first week as the kids are coming back to school,” Albany Police Department Cpl. Jon Seagroves said.

“School starts, and enforcement will start for speeding through the school zones.”

The gleam in Seagroves’ eye as he speaks indicates he means it when he says there will be no grace period and no warnings issued. Speeding tickets that include additional fines because of the school zone will be issued immediately.

Seagroves also warned about stopping for school buses. Unless the road is a divided highway with a grass median or concrete wall dividing it, traffic in both directions must stop when a school bus flashes red lights and its “Stop” sign folds out from the bus’s body.

Although there are slightly different time schedules for elementary, middle and high schools, Seagroves cautioned that the zones can overlap. Pay attention to the signs and slow down to 25 mph, he added. A child’s life could depend on it.

Schedules for observance of school zones in the Dougherty County School System:

Elementary schools: 7:15 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. / 2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.

Middle Schools: 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. / 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.

High Schools: 7:45 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. / 3:45 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.