As the new school year approaches, Waste Management (WM) and the Okaloosa County School District are reminding the public about the importance of road safety, particularly around school buses and waste collection trucks.

WM, emphasizing that safety is their top priority, has issued a set of truck safety tips for the community. Mark Noel, WM Gulf Coast Area Director Environmental, Health and Safety, stated, “At WM, our professional drivers approach each and every day with a safety-first mindset. Let’s work together to all do our part to help maintain a safe environment for students traveling to and from school.”

• The company advises maintaining a safe distance of at least 15 feet from their trucks and being alert to back-up alarms and white back-up lights. They caution that service vehicles can take twice as long to stop as passenger cars and make frequent stops, often backing up.

Meanwhile, the Okaloosa County School District, preparing for the start of school on August 12th, has alerted residents to expect increased traffic around schools during intake and release times.

• The district is asking drivers to allow extra time for their commutes and to be cautious around students at bus stops or walking and biking to school.

“We appreciate your patience as bus routes will also take longer than normal,” the district wrote. “It usually takes a week or so for everything to become routine.”

In addition to road safety, WM is encouraging environmental stewardship as the school year begins. They suggest using reusable lunch containers and beverage bottles, opting for whole fruits and vegetables as snacks, and considering eco-friendly school supplies made from recycled materials.

Both organizations stress the importance of community cooperation in ensuring a safe start to the school year. As WM puts it, “Working together, we can make it a safe and green school year.”