As thousands of Santa Clarita parents and kids prepare for back-to-school, Sheriff’s officials spoke with KHTS to discuss school safety and traffic safety during this time of the year.

The six Student Resource Officers monitor the six high schools in the William S. Hart Union High School District, looking over everything from traffic, to after-school functions, to incidents that occur during the school day.

But an important part to school safety is ensuring that those two periods during the day — parents dropping off their kids off at school and the trip home from school — run as smoothly as possible, officials said.

“The schools and neighborhoods around the schools are going to be crowded twice a day for drop-off and pickup times,” said Sergeant Shoemaker of the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station Traffic Office. “The parents are going to need patience, get through the areas, and pay attention to their surroundings.”

Related: Santa Clarita Parents Prepare For Back-To-School

Furthermore, Saugus Student Resource Officer Drake advised parents on the safety of their kids at school, and on their way to school, especially if they’re walking.

“If they’re walking to school they should not be staring down at their phones and not paying attention to their surroundings,” said Drake. “And under no circumstances should the driver of a car ever have to stop and ask a student walking home from school for directions.”

“We have smart phones with GPS for that,” continued Drake. “If a person ever does approach (from a car) while you’re walking, avoid that vehicle, and get the license plate if possible.”

Shoemaker emphasized that one of the most important things parents and students can do to cut back on traffic and help their students arrive safely and on time is carpooling.

“If you can help your neighbors or friends get to and from school this can cut down on traffic a lot,” said Shoemaker. “It’ll help with some of the congestion that is the result of anywhere from one hundred to over one thousand kids per school being dropped off.”

Officials also wished to remind Santa Clarita residents that even if they do not have children in one of the schools to be wary that during back-to-school time, everyone needs to be prepared for longer commutes and increased safety guidelines.

“Definitely prepare to give yourself extra time (for your commute),” said Shirley Miller, public information officer for the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station. “If you commute locally or on the freeway make sure to give yourself that extra time because you will notice the difference (once school begins again).”

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