Community For Home Safety

Make way – the future’s coming through! Please be mindful of students on the road as school starts

Photo credit: iStock.
Photo credit: iStock.

More pencils, more books, more things to look out for while driving: As students head back to school, this is a reminder to everyone to be extra mindful. (That goes for TECO team members too!)

In Hillsborough and Pinellas counties, public schools welcome students back on Wednesday, Aug. 10. Many other counties, including Duval, Pasco, Polk and Orange, start the school year on Monday, Aug. 15. No matter where you live, a new school year brings with it changing traffic patterns, changing speed limits, children crossing streets and other significant factors to be aware of.

Regardless of the direction you’re driving, a school bus with its lights flashing and stop sign displayed outward means you must always come to a complete stop. (The only exceptions are if you’re on the opposite side of the road on which a school bus is traveling and there’s either a five-foot median of unpaved space, a raised median or a physical barrier, like a cement barrier, separating your vehicle from the bus.)

Above all, please be constantly vigilant for schools buses, students waiting for buses or walking, and make time in your schedule for these and other things that might slow your commute, including parents driving their children to school.

In the communities we serve across Florida – including our more than 725,000 Tampa Electric customers and our more than 360,000 Peoples Gas customers – we have Safety & Health as our highest priorities. As Florida’s largest natural gas provider, we work across the state and have outstanding customer trust to show for it. At Tampa Electric, the 99.9 percent reliability we provide comes from our constant work in the community – and on the roads – to inspect our system and make repairs as fast as possible as well as to trim trees that grow too close to power lines in ways that protect the trees’ health.

On Aug. 10 and onward, however, let’s ensure that we’re protecting the lives and futures of our communities’ children as they embark on a new school year across Florida, with all of the promise and hope that it brings.

Thank you for joining us in making safety your top priority on the road.

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