Students who are counting the days — whether in anticipation or dread — can tell you exactly how much summer vacation is left.

For students in the Limestone County systems, it’s only a few days until the start of the school year, Friday, Aug. 2. For Athens students the reprieve is a bit further out, Wednesday, Aug. 7. Private schools also typically fall somewhere in this range.

But what those dates mean for all of us is that buses will roll and students of all ages will walk from their homes to a nearby school. And parents who drive their children to school will either cluster in a scrum in front of the school or sit in a line that seems to stretch from here to graduation.

With that much traffic, bad things can happen. As a driver, it’s your job to make sure they don’t.

AAA urges motorists to slow down and stay alert, especially during the times before school begins and shortly after it ends.

According to AAA Consumer Pulse Survey, 7 out of 10 Georgia drivers (70%) will commute daily or regularly drive routes that take them through school zones and/or school bus stops once school starts this fall. The survey also found that many drivers admitted to driving over the speed limit while in an active school zone (flashing lights on) and others admitted to using a hand-held cell phone while in an active school zone (flashing lights on).

AAA offers six ways to keep kids safe this school year:

— Slow down. Speed limits in school zones are reduced for a reason. A pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling 25 mph is nearly two-thirds less likely to be killed compared to a pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling just 10 mph faster.

— Eliminate distractions. Children often cross the road unexpectedly and may emerge suddenly between two parked cars. Research shows that taking your eyes off the road for just two seconds doubles your chances of crashing.

— Reverse responsibly. Every vehicle has blind spots. Check for children on the sidewalk, driveway, and around your vehicle before slowly backing up. Teach your children to never play in, under, or around vehicles — even those that are parked.

— Talk to your teen. Car crashes are one of the leading causes of death for teens in the United States, and more than one-quarter of fatal crashes involving teen drivers occur during the after-school hours of 3 to 7 p.m.

— Come to a complete stop. Research shows that more than one-third of drivers roll through stop signs in school zones or neighborhoods. Always come to a complete stop, checking carefully for children on sidewalks and in crosswalks before proceeding.

— Watch for bicycles. Children on bicycles are often inexperienced, unsteady, and unpredictable. Slow down and allow at least three feet of passing distance between your vehicle and the bicycle. If your child rides a bicycle to school, require that they wear a properly fitted bicycle helmet on every ride.

Let’s make 2024-25 a tragedy-free year for our kids.