By Mary O’KEEFE

Glendale Unified School District students, along with thousands of students across Los Angeles County, are back in school. That means traffic is going to be much heavier than it has been over the summer.

According to the U.S. Dept. of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, the definition of school-related traffic congestion is “the overcrowding and blocking of streets on or near school property that is typically associated with car transportation of children to and from school.”

According to the California Dept. of Motor Vehicles, common causes of vehicle collisions include unsafe speed, driving distractions and improper turns.

And those issues can be seen on any given day around local schools, and especially during the first few days that school is back in session. In the Crescenta Valley area the ongoing issues appear to be U-turns on streets where they are not allowed, like in front of schools, speeding as parents hurry to drop off their child and speeding as student drivers hurry to get a parking spot and to class on time. And distracted driving, whether due to cellphones or simply not paying attention to other vehicles and pedestrians, is another major problem. These driving bad habits have been witnessed repeatedly by CVW reporters who have been with California Highway Patrol officers as they patrol local streets.

Another issue that CVW often receives calls of concern, not just at the beginning of school but all year long, is the long line of vehicles on Rosemont Avenue when students are being dropped off and picked up. Residents along Rosemont Avenue often find themselves unable to exit their driveways, either due to the number of vehicles lined up and down the avenue or vehicles parked in front of their driveway.

Law enforcement will be on the streets throughout the year to “educate” and can issue citations to drivers who do not follow the rules of the road.

To make school drop off and pick up easier there are a few tips shared by law enforcement. These include making sure drivers have enough time to get their student to school and knowing the basic rules about U-turns and where to stop at crosswalks.

“Many drivers don’t realize that you need to stop at the shark teeth [symbols] prior to the crosswalk,” said CHP Officer Bay in an earlier interview.

The “shark teeth” are the long triangle symbols painted on the road that are technically termed a stop line. They are placed 20 to 50 feet in advance of a marked crosswalk to show where vehicles are required to stop, or yield, when pedestrians are present.

It is not just parents of school-aged students who need to be aware of the beginning of school but all drivers. Streets, not just around the schools but throughout the area, will be affected during school drop off times in the mornings between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. on regular school days.

Another issue that school districts are looking at is what to do about cellphone use by students on school campuses.

On June 18 the Los Angeles Unified School District board approved a resolution to create phone-free school days across the District.

“Studies show that smartphones and social media are distracting kids from learning, eroding their mental health, and stifling in-person social connection. LA Unified is the largest school district to implement a smartphone ban during the school day, with the goal of supporting students’ academic success and well-being,” according to a statement from LAUSD.

The resolution calls on the District to create a comprehensive implementation policy to take effect in January 2025, according to LAUSD.

On Aug. 13, Gov. Gavin Newsom sent a letter to all school districts urging them to restrict smartphone use in classrooms. In the letter he applauded districts like LAUSD for its efforts in this area.

“Excessive smartphone use among youth is linked to increased anxiety, depression and other mental health issues. A recent Pew Research Center survey found that 72% of high school and 33% of middle school teachers report cellphone distractions as a major problem,” stated the letter.

The call for smartphone restrictions on campus was resonated by State Superintendent of Pubic Instruction Tony Thurmond.

“The call-to-action echoes existing legislation that empowers California school districts to enact policies that restrict students’ cellphone use. Assembly Bill 272, which became effective Jan. 1, 2020, affirms the right of school districts, county offices of education and charter schools to establish policies that restrict students’ cellphone use in school,” according to Thurmond.

At GUSD, the board is awaiting further instruction from the state but has already put in place a cellphone policy.

“The Board of Education recognizes the use of smartphones and other mobile communication devices on campus may be beneficial to student learning and well-being, but could be disruptive of the instructional program in some circumstances. The Board permits limited use of mobile communication devices on campus in accordance with law and the following policy.

“Students may use cell phones, smart watches, pagers, or other mobile communication devices on campus during non-instructional time as long as the device is utilized in accordance with law and any rules that individual school sites may impose. Mobile communication devices shall be turned off during instructional time,” according to a statement from GUSD.

A GUSD student may use a cellphone in specific circumstances including in the case of an emergency or in response to a perceived threat or danger, and when a teacher grants permission to the student to use the smartphone.

At present while the GUSD cellphone restrictions continue to be in place the district will review the issue as more study and instruction from the state becomes available.