As 89,000 students in Dane County return to school, law enforcement agencies across the county are joining together for increased enforcement and education aimed at keeping children safe as they walk and bicycle to and from school.
From September 8–18, law enforcement agencies across Dane County will conduct additional traffic enforcement and education in and around school zones as part of a coordinated effort by the Law Enforcement Subgroup of the Dane County Traffic Safety Commission.
The campaign comes as crash data show the dangers children face traveling to school and in school zones. According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT), from 2021 through 2025, 23 children ages 5–18 were injured while bicycling and 37 were injured while walking to or from school in Dane County. While there were no fatalities during the five-year period, that record was shattered when a bicyclist traveling to school was fatally injured in a Madison traffic crash this year.
Additionally, WisDOT data show that from 2021 through 2025, five bicyclists and 17 pedestrians were injured in traffic crashes in Dane County school zones.
“We have a simple goal: every child who leaves home for school in the morning should come home safely at the end of the day,” said Lt. Matt Plendl, Waunakee Police Department and co-chair of the Law Enforcement Subgroup. “Drivers can help make that happen by slowing down, putting away their phones and giving their full attention to the road, especially when they are near a school.”
During the September campaign, officers will focus on unsafe driving behaviors that put children at risk, including speeding, distracted driving and failure to yield to pedestrians and bicyclists.
“Children don’t always judge traffic the way adults do,” said Lt. Plendl. “A child may step into the street unexpectedly or ride a bicycle into an intersection without realizing a driver hasn’t seen them. Especially when you’re driving near a school, slow down and be prepared to stop.”
Parents Play an Important Role
Parents and caregivers can also help prepare children for a safe trip to and from school, Lt. Plendl said. They should walk or bicycle the route with younger children before they travel independently, identifying safe places to cross and intersections or other locations where extra caution is needed.
Parents should remind children to stop and look carefully before entering a street, even when using a marked crosswalk, and never to assume that a driver sees them or will stop. Children riding bicycles, e-scooters and e-bicycles should wear the appropriate helmet, understand basic rules of the road and avoid distractions from phones and other electronic devices.
“Keeping children safe on their way to and from school is a shared responsibility,” said Lt. Plendl. “Drivers need to slow down and stay alert, parents need to teach safe walking and bicycling habits, and children need to understand that even familiar streets require their full attention.”
The risks facing children traveling to school are not unique to Dane County. Statewide, from 2021 through 2025, 237 students bicycling and 361 students walking to or from school were injured in traffic crashes, according to WisDOT. During the same period, an additional 12 bicyclists and 32 pedestrians were injured in traffic crashes in Wisconsin school zones.
The September 8–18 effort combines enforcement with education. “Slow Down” yard signs provided by Safe Communities and distributed through local police departments provide a visible reminder to motorists that children are once again walking and bicycling on neighborhood streets.
“Getting somewhere a minute or two sooner is never worth putting a child at risk,” said Lt. Plendl. “When you see a school, a school bus, a crossing guard or children along the road, slow down, stay alert and expect the unexpected.”
The Dane County law enforcement agencies ask motorists to make the beginning of the school year a time to reset their driving habits: slow down, eliminate distractions, watch for children and be prepared to stop.
10 Back-to-School Safety Tips
As students head back to school, the Dane County Traffic Safety Commission reminds parents, students and drivers that everyone has a role in keeping children safe on their way to and from school.
1) Slow down in school zones. Drivers should obey posted speed limits and be prepared for children to enter the roadway unexpectedly. Watch for crossing guards.
2) Put the phone away. Drivers, walkers and bicyclists should avoid phones and other distractions, especially at intersections and crosswalks.
3) Cross where drivers expect you. Children should use sidewalks, marked crosswalks and intersections whenever possible and avoid crossing between parked cars.
4) Look left, right and left again. Children should stop and check carefully for traffic before crossing—even when they have the right of way.
5) Make sure drivers see you. Children should make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of a vehicle. Never assume a driver has seen you.
6) Give school buses plenty of room. Children waiting for a bus should stay at least 10 feet—or five giant steps—from the curb and never walk behind a school bus.
7) Never pass a stopped school bus illegally. Drivers should watch for flashing lights and the extended stop arm and be prepared for children crossing the roadway. Always proceed slowly when passing a school bus in case the lights are not in use and there is a hidden child about to cross.
8) Wear a helmet when biking. Children riding bicycles, e-scooters or e-bicycles to school should always wear the appropriate helmet, follow traffic rules and ride predictably.
9) Use designated school drop-off and pickup areas. Parents should follow the school’s traffic plan and avoid double parking or dropping children where they must cross unexpectedly through traffic.
10) Practice the route. Parents should periodically walk or bike the route with their children and point out safe crossings, busy driveways and other potential hazards.
Remember: A few extra seconds of caution can prevent a tragedy. Slow down, stay alert and help every child get to school—and home again—safely.
