412th SFS teaches first back to school lesson Published Aug. 19, 2015 By Rebecca Amber Staff writer EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- The 412th Security Forces Squadron took education from the classroom to the parking lot on the first day of school Aug. 17. In an effort to promote starting the year off with a "culture of safety," several patrolmen were on duty outside of the schools. Their goal was to encourage motorists to operate their vehicles in both a safe and legal manner. While they did not issue any citations that morning, they did advise motorists to drive safely at all times to avoid future citations during random patrols. At Branch Elementary School there are two student drop-off areas. The first, on Forbes Ave., has a "kiss-and-go" lane for students to exit the vehicle and walk themselves into school. The lane exits onto Bailey Ave. where motorists will see a conditional "No Left Turn" sign that restricts left-hand turns from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m., Monday through Friday. The same sign is posted at the exit of the main school parking lot. In the same lot as the drop-off lane on Forbes and Bailey Ave., there is parking available for parents who wish to walk their children onto the school grounds. "If everyone is going in the same direction exiting the school zone, it's safer that way. That's where the majority of the school faculty and staff are stationed to help," said Staff Sgt. Jason Hoffman, 412th Security Forces Squadron Police Services. As motorists drive down Bailey Ave., they will see a second drop-off only area by the high school football field. Over time, parents have gotten in the habit of parking in the area and leaving their cars unattended while they walk their children into the school. This practice has caused congestion, compromising safety in the area. The 412th SFS officers on duty that morning encouraged parents to start using the area correctly now and expect to see conditional "no parking" signs in the near future. "After those signs are in place, if I see unattended vehicles in those areas during those times, they will be getting a citation," said Hoffman. Motorists may also receive a citation for parking or manipulating their vehicle in a manner that is deemed unsafe. For example, there have been a number of instances where a driver made an illegal U-turn to obtain or exit a spot in the drop-off lane. "When you make an illegal U-turn, any pedestrians who have already exited their vehicles - you're putting them in danger," Hoffman said. "You might not be able to catch the kid running out of their van or SUV." An illegal U-turn is a moving violation, adding the fact that it happened in a school zone, a driver would receive a minimum of four points assessed against their record. It could be more if there are any additional hazards, such as nearly missing another car or person. "My main goal is safety for everybody," shared Hoffman, who wants to parents embrace integrity when it comes to the rules of the road. As an incentive to keep practicing driver integrity, 412th SFS will be conducting random patrols during the drop-off and pick-up hours at both schools. He noted that even more important than avoiding a ticket is setting a good example for the children in the vehicle. "The kids are taught the rules in school and when you do something they were taught not to do, the kids notice," he said. Desert Jr.-Sr. High School is less impacted by the traffic conditions than Branch, because many of the students are able to drive themselves to school. However, several issues still need to be addressed. Common traffic problems at DHS include running stop signs and poor parking etiquette. Hoffman reminds drivers that traffic citations can be issued in parking lots too. Vehicles should never be parked in bus or designated fire lanes. Fixing the traffic problems at both schools will require motorists to work together, showing respect for other drivers and pedestrians. "The more you work together, I promise that drop off times will decrease and the time needed to park and walk kids will decrease."