Student safety is the number one priority at Eden Park Elementary. This includes a safe dismissal process. A vast majority of schools experience a sort of ‘rush hour’ during dismissal, which can be chaotic and stressful. This congestion can be dangerous to navigate, especially for students.

Increasing safety should always be the goal. School administration has the responsibility of creating routines that ensure children can safely get home. Parents also play a big role in student safety during dismissal as well. It is important that parents follow dismissal procedures to ensure the safety of everyone involved in the dismissal process.

Below is an easy to follow reminder to help keep our Eden Park Elementary Family safe.

1. Refrain from using cell phones or other electronic devices while in car line. The use of cell phones causing distractions which could result in accidents and/or injuries.
2. Yield to students and adults crossing the crosswalk.
3. Use designated parking spaces when parking and do not park in the dismissal area. This causes congestion in the parking lot and will delay the dismissal process.
4. Make sure your vehicle is equipped with proper seating with seat belts and/or child restraints. (See page two for further information on child restraint laws and requirements.
5. Drive slow. Increased speeds reduce reaction times to avoid an accident.
6. Please make sure you have your car tag visible in rear view window the entire time during the dismissal process. This will allow staff to see your child’s name and get them ready for pick-up.
7. If possible place car seats and other child restraint devices in the middle or behind the driver seat to avoid your child having to crawl over it to enter your vehicle. Children cannot walk in front of vehicles to enter on the driver side of the vehicle. This is to ensure that no child is ever in front of a vehicle.
8. Please place car tag either on rear view mirror or on the passenger side front dashboard so that it is visible from outside your vehicle on the passenger side.

Please follow these simple but very important safety tips to ensure a smooth and safe dismissal process.

Thank You,

Deputy J. Woods

Eden Park Elementary Youth Relations Deputy

Children should always be buckled up or in a proper child restraint, and everyone should be buckled up for safety. Read on to make sure you know the Florida safety belt law and important safety tips for children of all ages.

Safety Belts

• Florida law requires the use of seat belts or child restraint devices by drivers of motor vehicles, all front seat passengers and all children riding in a vehicle under 18.
• Florida’s safety belt law is a primary enforcement law, meaning that an officer can stop a vehicle and issue a citation simply for observing a safety belt or restraint violation.
• Children should be in the rear seats until at least age 12, since deployed front seat air bags can be dangerous to children.

Child Restraints – Car Seats and Booster Seats

• Florida law requires children age 5 and under to be secured properly in a crash-tested, federally approved child restraint device.
• Children ages 0 through 3 must be in child restraint devices of a separate carrier or a vehicle manufacturer’s integrated child seat.
• Children age 4 through 5 must be in a separate carrier, integrated child seat or booster seat.
• The best child seat is one that fits your child, fits your car and is used properly every time you drive.
• Read the car seat’s instruction manual and the portion of your vehicle’s owner manual when you install a car seat.
• Remember to check for car seat and booster seat recalls.
• Refer to the official Florida Driver License Handbook for more information on seat belts and child restraints.

Below is a website to find a local car seat fitting station:

https://www.floridaoprc.ce.ufl.edu/oprc/Fitting_Stations.asp

For additional questions regarding Florida’s seat belt or child restraints laws, please contact Deputy J. Woods at 239-377-8284.