By Staff
The bells at area schools will be ringing Wednesday morning as the 2008-2009 school year begins.
New pencils, notebooks and boxes of crayons will likely be tucked in their backpacks, and they will anxiously await finding out who they'll share classrooms with.
But with the excitement of the first day of school, children may not be paying close attention to crossing streets or looking for cars as they walk to school or get on their buses.
We hope that all drivers will take extra care with their morning and afternoon commutes. The last thing we want to report about after the first day of school - or any day of the year - is an accident involving a child.
Over the past year we've seen a number of tragic accidents in our state and across the country involving school buses, for a variety of reasons. Some school districts have debated whether or not buses need seatbelts, especially in the wake of fatal accidents like one in Huntsville last year.
But seatbelts or no, the drivers who work for both school systems know that they are carrying precious cargo, and we have faith that they will treat these children with great care as they ferry them back and forth to school throughout the year.
But it's our responsibility in the community to look out for these children as well.
Please keep an eye out Wednesday - and every day after that.