School is back in session for students in El Paso County Colorado School District 49, and driving with the students in mind is important. Of course, driving with other drivers in mind is equally important.Avoid panicAccording to the Colorado Driver Handbook, ìStopping suddenly is dangerous and usually points to a driver who was not paying attention Ö .Try to avoid panic stops by seeing events well in advance.îThe handbook recommends the following to avoid panic stops: ìLook down the road at least 10 seconds ahead of your vehicle (city = one block, open road = one-half mile). By looking well-ahead and being ready to stop or change lanes if needed, you can drive more safely, save on fuel and help keep traffic moving at a steady pace.îAccording to the website http://drive-safely.net, driving the same route every day can cause drivers to become less attentive to happenings or things around them on the road. To avoid getting complacent while driving, the website recommends the following: ìDonít text and drive, donít eat and drive, donít GPS and drive Ö . Keep your focus on the road and what youíre doing and youíll be prepared for anything.îWatch speedColorado Revised Statute 42-4-1101[3] states: ìNo driver of a vehicle shall fail to decrease the speed of such vehicle from an otherwise lawful speed to a reasonable and prudent speed when a special hazard exists with respect to pedestrians or other traffic or by reason of weather or highway conditions.î
