FOWLER – As students prepare to get back into their day-to-day school routines, the Fowler Police Department is reminding drivers to ease up on the gas pedal.
According to an Aug. 4 announcement, the Fowler Police Department has seen an increase in traffic concerns coming from the community. To better understand where the concerns were coming from, Police Chief Greg Gularte conducted a hands-on approach to addressing the matter.
“Rather than simply reviewing reports, he parked in different residential neighborhoods throughout Fowler to personally observe driver behavior,” said the announcement. “What he witnessed reinforced what many residents have been telling us: speeding in neighborhoods, rolling through stop signs, distracted driving and failure to obey traffic signals.”
The department is reminding residents that now is a good time to refocus on safe driving habits. With school starting again soon, more children will be walking and biking to school, school buses will be back on the road and families will be traveling during busy morning and afternoon hours.
In the coming weeks, residents may notice an increased traffic enforcement presence in areas where these violations are occurring most often.
“Our goal isn’t to write more tickets — it’s to change driving behavior, prevent crashes and keep our community safe,” said the announcement.
As students return to school, the Fowler Police Department encourages residents to remember:
- Slow down in residential neighborhoods and school zones;
- Come to a complete stop at stop signs;
- Put the phone away and eliminate distractions;
- Be patient and watch for children crossing the street; and
- Yellow means slow down, not speed up.
According to the Fowler Unified School District, the start of the school year for students is Thursday, Aug. 13.
“Let’s work together to make this a safe start to the new school year. The best traffic stop is the one we never have to make,” said the announcement. “Thank you for doing your part to keep Fowler safe.”
