EDITORIAL: Start of school brings need for greater safety on area streets

With school in full swing for another year, drivers have to dial up their senses and reactions on the streets of Grand Island. While the need for safety is always apparent while behind the wheel, the energy and lack of awareness by many youngsters on their way to school ratchets up the need for drivers to be super-alert.

It seems the busier thoroughfares are even more busy this year. Major arterials such as South Locust Street and Stolley Park Road seem to have more children walking to and from school this year. With South Locust experiencing more and more commercial traffic, the need for heightened safety precautions become even more necessary. The same is true for Broadwell Street and Capitol Avenue.

In addition to the school traffic, it seems more people are traversing to and from work on bicycles. The need to conserve fuel costs and the health benefits of biking to work are obvious. What is apparently not  so obvious is the need for riders to wear proper helmets while on their bikes. Obviously nobody plans on being in an accident, but the need to take a very necessary safety precaution like wearing a bicycle helmet should not be limited to children. Adults have nasty encounters with autos, trucks or slippery surfaces every day. It is a simple thing to strap on a helmet, but for some reason adults think the helmet is not necessary. Ask anyone who works in the emergency room or as a paramedic. The head trauma from the simplest of accidents can be avoided with a proper helmet.

If nothing else, there is a rising coolness-factor that is appealing to many when they wear a helmet. It shows respect for your safety and the tousled hair while walking into the office can give a certain amount of swagger while ambling to the work station.

Be aware. Be safe. Wear a helmet.