Ozark schools using proactive approach to educate student drivers

OZARK, Mo. - We are counting down the days to when districts across the Ozarks go back to school.

As kids are packing their backpacks and grabbing their keys, one thing to keep top of mind is safety.

"You have students that are on sidewalks using road crossings," said Lt. Jared Drye with the Ozark Police Department. "Young students at elementary schools, they may be walking home, students walking around. And that just generates an opportunity for vehicles and pedestrians to be on the road together at the same time."

Ozark PD and the school district say there are different ways they help keep drivers and pedestrians safe.

"We schedule extra patrolling times, especially during the first week of school," said Director of Ozark School Resource Deputies Sgt. John Wilkerson. "That presence is a huge visual deterrence for the student drivers as well as the adult drivers, to say, 'Hey, I need to slow down and pay attention.'"

Sgt. Wilkerson says that especially when the weather is nice, more teenagers will be outside.

"They're hard to see and they don't always pay attention to the traffic," Wilkerson said. "So having the help of the community to look out for those kids, those students will be crucial in ensuring the safety of the students and the safety of the community in general."

Ozark junior, Kaylee, turned 16 in May.

"It gets crowded whenever all the cars are, like, first getting out," Kaylee said. "So I'm a little scared for that part."

This will be her first year driving to school.

"Whenever people are walking out of the school right here, watch out for those people, because I feel like people don't really wait for the pedestrians to walk by and they just start going," Kaylee said.

Sgt. Wilkerson says they take a proactive approach by using education, like driving and student safety classes each semester.

"The more education younger drivers have, the increased likelihood they will drive safely," Wilkerson said.

Wilkerson says he sees every student as if they were his own family.

"This is a family, and we have to do what we can to make sure everyone stays safe," Wilkerson said. "The kids, they're receptive to that when you talk to them."