Jones

THOMASVILLE — Local law enforcement agencies do not take school zone traffic violations lightly and for a good reason: A violation could result in the death or injury of a child.

Yellow school zone lights have been flashing in the city this week, although the first day of school is not until Monday. Lights flashing before school begins is designed to remind motorists to slow down in preparation for schools opening.

Monitoring traffic on South Broad Street early Thursday morning, Thomasville Police Department patrol officer Haley Jensen used a radar device to detect speeds of vehicles near Jerger Elementary School. The school zone speed limit is 25 miles per hour.

“If you’re going over that, we’re going to pull you over,” Jensen said.

Not only will speeders be pulled over. Jensen and other officers patrolling school zones will be on the lookout for distracted drivers talking on hand-held phones and for people texting while driving in school zones.

Seatbelt use and properly restrained children also will be monitored.

City school zone lights flash from 7 to 8:30 a.m. and from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m.

“Give yourself some time. Don’t rush to take children to school,” Police Chief Troy Rich said.

School rush hour also is rush hour for people traveling to work, Rich pointed out.

The Thomas County Sheriff’s Office will be highly visible at Thomas County schools Monday morning, with blue lights on sheriff’s vehicles flashing.

“We want them to see us,” said Capt. Steven Jones, sheriff’s office public information officer.

When motorists approach a school bus from the front or rear, they should consider they might have to stop.

Jones said extended stop signs on a bus mean children are getting on or off the bus.

“Children are present,” he said. “Stop in all directions. No emergency is too great to endanger the life of a child getting on or off a school bus.”

Jones said the sheriff’s office’s goal is not to write tickets for school zone violations — “but we will.”

“We want citizens to remember that traffic will be heavy on the first day of school as parents will be attempting to get their children to their schools,” Thomasville Assistant Police Chief Eric Hampton said.

School buses will be in neighborhoods picking up and dropping off students. 

“When the stop sign is out on the bus, motorists must stop,” Hampton said.

Citations will be issued to drivers who do not stop for school buses.

“We want all of our students to get to school safely, not only the first day, but for the entire year,” Hampton said. “As always, if anyone witnesses motorists driving aggressively at any time, they can call 911 and give a description of the vehicle and its last known location.”

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820