August 11, 2026
Contact:
Jeanette Flores: JeaFlores@dpw.lacounty.gov
(800)675-4357
LA County Urges Drivers to Slow Down, Stay Alert as Students Return to School
It’s that time of year again: packing lunches, organizing backpacks, and getting young people ready for back‑to‑school. As nearly 1.3 million K-12 students across the greater Los Angeles County Region return to campus, traffic volumes naturally increase, especially during morning drop‑off and afternoon pick‑up hours. Los Angeles County Public Works strongly urges residents and motorists to stay alert as traffic volumes change.
National crash data for the years 2016 through 2024 show an alarming trend; the number of reported collisions jumped nearly 8 percent each year between the months of July and August. In 2023, 1,303 people were killed in speed-related crashes on California roads, accounting for 32% of all traffic deaths, according to the California Traffic Safety Survey. Back‑to‑school traffic changes quickly, and our driving habits must change with it.
To help everyone in LA County get to where they need to go safely, LA County Public Works offers the following safe‑driving reminders:
- Slow down and follow posted school‑zone speed limits.
- Put your phone away. No text is more important than the road in front of you.
- Avoid parking within 20 feet of a crosswalk approach or within 15 feet where there is a curb extension. This helps maintain clear visibility for children and drivers.
- Stop for school buses. Flashing red lights and an extended stop arm mean no passing ever.
With the public’s safety in mind, LA County Public Works continues designing safer roads, improving traffic signage, and constructing more visible crosswalks. Initiatives like Los Angeles County Vision Zero address traffic safety and work to reduce traffic fatalities and severe injuries on County roads. Residents are encouraged to do their part, as well, by practicing safe driving and helping maintain safe conditions throughout the region’s vast transportation network.
Let’s make this school year a safe one for every child and parent, one careful driver at a time.