AAA Northeast recently launched its 74th annual “School’s Open – Drive Carefully” program in front of the William Boyce Thompson School. The program alerts drivers to be extra careful behind the wheel, as children end their summer vacation and return to school.
Mayor Mike Spano, Yonkers Public School Superintendent Dr. Edwin Quezada, Board of Education Trustee Dr. Ammir Rabadi, Sgt. Steve Schlusberg, and police officers Leslie Hand and Gerald Wilkins, along with local students, helped AAA kick off the program.
Drivers should be particularly cautious in school areas, keeping their speed at or below posted limits and being prepared to stop – on both sides of the street – for school buses with flashing red lights, as required by New York State law.
AAA’s annual “School’s Open – Drive Carefully” campaign is conducted with local government and police agencies.
“The help we get from police departments in our territory adds to the effectiveness of our ‘School’s Open’ campaign,” said Donna Galasso, assistant director of AAA’s Traffic Safety unit. “We appreciate the efforts of Mayor Spano, Dr. Quezada, Dr. Rabadi, Sgt. Schlusberg, Officer Hand, Officer Wilkins and the Yonkers Police Department for their joint efforts in helping to increase safety for all students.”
AAA New York State’s “School’s Open – Drive Carefully” program began in 1945. Since then, it has helped prevent injuries and death among children of elementary school age. Thousands of posters, bumper stickers and other educational materials are distributed through the program.
AAA Northeast is a not-for-profit member service organization with 66 offices in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island, providing more than 5.7 million local AAA members with roadside assistance, travel, insurance, finance and auto-related services.
