(KLZA)--Nebraska roads are about to get more crowded - and hazardous - as thousands of students and teachers return to school. This time of year is particularly dangerous due to the combination of young inexperienced drivers, pedestrians and bicyclists who will all share the road in the early morning and afternoon hours.

Since children can move quickly and cross the road unexpectedly, it’s important to constantly scan the road for people while driving and be ready to stop at a moment’s notice.

According to a new survey of Nebraska drivers:

• More the 75% have driving routes that take them through school zones or bus stops.

• 45% admitted to speeding in an active school zone.

• 31% admitted to using their hand-held cell phone while driving in active school zones.

AAA – The Auto Club Group, through its School’s Open Drive Carefully campaign reminds motorists to:

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

   

• 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.

   

• Eliminate distractions. Research shows that taking your eyes off the road for just two seconds doubles your chances of crashing.

   

• Share the road with bicyclists. Children on bicycles are often inexperienced, unsteady and unpredictable. Slow down and allow at least three feet of passing distance between your vehicle and a bicyclist.

   

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

Top AAA Safety Tips for Students

For Pedestrians

• Pay attention at all times. Avoid texting or wearing headphones, so you can detect nearby traffic.

   

• Use sidewalks where available. If not, walk against the direction of traffic so you can see oncoming vehicles.

   

• Make yourself easier to be seen by wearing reflective, bright colored clothing.

In Nebraska, motorists who approach a school bus with the yellow warning lights activated are required to reduce speed to 25 mph and come to a complete stop when the school bus driver activates the red flashers. Drivers must remain stopped until the school bus resumes motion.