JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Duval County Superintendent Dr. Christopher Bernier shared a safety reminder after a middle school student died and another student was injured in crashes during the first week of school.
“There are no words to describe the heartbreak his family, friends, and school community are experiencing,” Bernier wrote in a letter to parents. “Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with his family and the other family affected by these incidents. No family should ever endure such a tragedy.”
View Bernier’s full statement below:
Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office Traffic Enforcement Cmdr. Scott Lundquist stressed the importance of both pedestrian and driver awareness, particularly during school hours.
“As a pedestrian and as a car driver, we both have to be on the offensive and defensive,” Lundquist said. “We have more distracting devices in the car - the big computer, the phones - things like that. So we’re just asking people to pay attention. Put the phone down for a few minutes.”
JSO said it has increased its presence around school zones, with motor officers monitoring bus routes and traffic patterns.
“We actually had one motor officer following the bus around to see if anybody went around it,” Lundquist explained. “A couple months off and people forget about this.”
If you need a reminder about when to stop for a school bus, watch the video below:
The school district emphasizes several key safety practices from its “Be Safe. Be Seen” campaign.
Bernier posted on social media for students to remember to:
- Use crosswalks
- Obey traffic signals
- Stay alert
- Put phones and headphones away when crossing streets
Lundquist recommends drivers exercise extra caution, particularly in residential areas.
“Especially in the neighborhood with all the kids out,” he said. “Especially during the day and the afternoon times when kids are going to school or coming back to slow down a little bit more, be more vigilant.”
The superintendent echoed that statement by saying, “A moment of distraction can have lifelong consequences.”
Traffic enforcement officials recommend several preventive measures for students who walk to school, including the use of reflective materials for better visibility.
“Walk in the same direction the cars are coming at you so that you can see them and they can see you,” Lundquist said. “They can actually move out of the way instead of having traffic come up behind them.”
