GDOT Pleads for Safe Back to School Driving in Northwest Georgia 

Announcements
Safe Driving for Back-to-School Season…
GDOT Pleads for Safe Back to School Driving in Northwest Georgia 

WHITE, Ga. – Students heading back to school means more traffic, increased congestion and the need for extra safety precautions. From school buses loading and unloading, to kids walking and biking, to parents dropping off and picking up – dangers abound.

As back-to-school gets into full swing, Georgia DOT urges drivers to put safety first – especially in and around school zones, buses and children.

  • Pay attention to school zone flashing beacons and obey school zone speed limits.
  • Obey school bus laws.
    • Stop behind/do not pass a school bus that is stopped to load or unload children.
    • If the lights are flashing and the stop arm is extended, opposing traffic must stop unless it is on a divided highway with a grass or concrete median.
  • Watch for students gathering near bus stops, and for kids arriving late, who may dart into the street. Children often are unpredictable, and they tend to ignore hazards and take risks.

According to the National Safety Council, most children who lose their lives in school bus-related incidents are four to seven years old, walking and they are hit by the bus, or by a motorist illegally passing a stopped bus.

“It’s never more important for drivers to slow down and pay attention than when kids are present – especially in the peak traffic hours before and after school,” said Grant Waldrop, district engineer at the DOT office in White.

Research by the National Safe Routes to School program found that more children are hit by cars near schools than at any location. Georgia DOT implores drivers to watch out for children walking or bicycling (both on the road and the sidewalk) in area near a school.

“If you’re driving behind a school bus, increase your following distance to allow more time to stop once the lights start to flash. The area 10 feet around a school bus is the most dangerous for children; stop far enough back to give them space to safely enter and exit the bus,” Waldrop explained.

Whenever you drive – be alert and expect the unexpected. By exercising a little extra care and caution, drivers and pedestrians can co-exist safely in and around school zones. Let’s make this new school year safer for our children. 

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Protect Your Family’s Future by Getting Vaccinated this August

Health

Protect Your Family’s Future by Getting Vaccinated this August

Georgia Department of Public Health Urges Georgia Residents to Protect Themselves by Getting Immunized during National Immunization Awareness Month

 

NORTH GEORGIA – It’s time to really think about vaccinations.

“August is National Immunization Awareness Month, and it’s when we particularly urge parents to make an appointment to get themselves and their families vaccinated.” said Ashley Deverell, RN, BSN, Immunization Coordinator for the North Georgia Health District, based in Dalton. “Vaccinations are our best defense against vaccine-preventable diseases and are available at all our health departments in Cherokee, Fannin, Gilmer, Murray, Pickens and Whitfield counties.”

People of all ages require timely vaccinations to protect their health, and in August, public health advisors especially focus on vaccinations needed for pregnant women, babies and young children, preteens and teens, adults, and children entering or heading back to school.

Every adult in Georgia (19 years of age and older) should follow the recommended immunization schedule by age and medical condition. Vaccinations protect you and they protect others around you, especially infants and those individuals who are unable to be immunized or who have weakened immune systems. It is always a good idea to have the adult vaccine schedule nearby as a reference and to make sure you are current on your immunizations. This link is to the recommended adult immunization schedule:

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/downloads/adult/adult-schedule-easy-read.pdf.

Vaccines protect families, teens and children by preventing disease. They help avoid expensive therapies and hospitalization needed to treat infectious diseases like influenza and pneumococcal disease. Vaccinations also reduce absences both at school and at work and decrease the spread of illness in the home, workplace and community.

Before starting seventh grade, all students born on or after January 1, 2002 and entering or transferring into seventh grade will need proof of a whooping cough booster shot and a meningococcal shot unless the child has an exemption on file with the school.

And, looking ahead for the 2020-2021 school year, all students entering or transferring into 11th grade will need proof of a meningococcal booster shot (MCV4), unless their first dose was received on or after their 16th birthday. Meningococcal disease is a serious bacterial illness that affects the brain and the spinal cord. Meningitis can cause shock, coma and death within hours of the first symptoms. To help protect your children and others from meningitis, Georgia law requires students be vaccinated against this disease, unless the child has an exemption.

Some schools, colleges, and universities have policies requiring vaccination against meningococcal disease as a condition of enrollment. Students aged 21 years or younger should have documentation of receipt of a dose of meningococcal conjugate vaccine not more than five years before enrollment. If the primary dose was administered before their 16th birthday, a booster dose should be administered before enrollment in college.

“The focus of vaccinations often lies on young children, but it’s just as important for teens, college students and adults to stay current on their vaccinations.” said Shelia Lovett, Director of the Immunization Program of the Georgia Department of Public Health.

This August, protect your family by getting vaccinated. The North Georgia Health District remind adults to check with their local county health department or healthcare provider for their current vaccination recommendations, and parents are urged to check for their children. Safe and effective vaccines are available to protect adults and children alike against potentially life-threatening diseases such as tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, meningococcal disease, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, shingles, measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (chickenpox). So, visit your public health department or talk to your health care provider and get immunized today.

For more information on immunization, visit http://dph.georgia.gov/immunization-section.

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Spring Break is here – Karla’s here to help you plan your “Stay-cation”!

Community, Featured

Spring Break 2017 is just around the corner. If you are staying in town and you’re short on ideas of fun things to do with your children during your “stay-cation” have no fear, Karla is here! Today during her segment, Karla tells us about many things to do and places to visit right here in Gilmer County. A list of all the local businesses she discusses in this video and many more can be found by clicking here: Gilmer Chamber

 

https://youtu.be/4zmOFDp5WSY

Fire & Ice Chili Cook-off February 18th 2017!

Featured, Lifestyle

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Light up Blue Ridge ~ November 25th 2016!

Community, Featured

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