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Motorist Alert: School Zone Begins; 2008 Ozone Season Reaches Halfway Point The NTTA has a double dose of reminders for North Texas motorists this month: Use extra caution around schools starting Monday, Aug. 25, as most public school students return to class and school zones are once again activated. In addition, all motorists are encouraged to continue their efforts to reduce vehicle emissions in August, which marks the halfway point in the region’s 2008 ozone forecast season.
The Legislature has adopted a uniform start date of Aug. 25 for most public schools in Texas, reducing the patchwork of school and school-zone start dates that previously had students returning from early to late August. Many major North Texas streets that connect to NTTA facilities also feature school zones.
Many NTTA corridor cities’ school districts begin on Aug. 25. Private schools, along with the school zones around them, may start on different dates.
The number of miles driven is expected to rise again due to the resumption of school-related trips. Therefore, motorists are reminded of the need to continue efforts to reduce vehicle emissions by driving at safe and consistent speeds.
The North Texas ozone forecast season officially runs from May 1 through Oct. 31, giving area residents three more months of potential air pollution watches and warnings. Through early August, the region has had 12 violations of the federal ozone standard. Vehicle emissions play in a role in the formation of ozone, a lung irritant that poses pollution hazards in high concentrations.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality offers some tips for reducing vehicle emissions:
- Take your lunch to work or school.
- Combine errands into one trip.
- Postpone refueling until after 6 p.m.
- Don't top off your gas tank when refueling.
- Keep your vehicle properly tuned to keep exhaust levels low.
- Avoid morning rush-hour traffic.
- Shift work schedules to allow employees to avoid morning rush-hour traffic.
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