Garden City Police Help Launch "School's Open" Safety Campaign

Inspector Kenneth Jackson (left) and Detective Richard Pedone help to launch AAA's "School's Open - Drive Carefully" campaign at Police Headquarters in Garden City with (left to right) Amanda and Julia Grimes. Donna Galasso, Assistant Director for Traffic Safety represented AAAat the ceremony.

Inspector Kenneth Jackson and Detective Richard Pedone of the Garden City Police Department have helped AAA New York launch its 63rd annual "School's Open - Drive Carefully" campaign by mounting traffic safety posters in the community.

Inspector Jackson and Detective Pedone mounted a colorful "School's Open - Drive Carefully" poster at Police Headquarters in Garden City on September 1st to help alert drivers to be extra careful as thousands of local youngsters return to school.

"Each year, we count on assistance from the local police departments to ensure the success of our 'School's Open' program" said Donna Galasso, assistant director of the Club's Traffic Safety unit. "We're thankful that Inspector Jackson and Detective Pedone recognize the program's safety benefits for local students and have cooperated with us to help spread the message," said Galasso.

Ms. Galasso reminds drivers to be especially cautious in school areas, keeping their speed at or below posted limits and being prepared to stop, on both sides of a street, for school buses with flashing red lights, as required by New York State Law.

The Club's annual "School's Open - Drive Carefully" program is conducted with local government and police agencies. Thousands of posters, bumper stickers and other educational materials are distributed through the program.

AAA New York State's "School's Open - Drive Carefully" program began in 1945. Since then, the campaign has helped to prevent injuries and deaths among children of elementary school age.

AAA New York, the local AAA affiliate, provides automotive, travel and financial services to more than 1.5 million members in New York City, and in Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland, Putnam, Orange, Dutchess, Ulster, Sullivan, Chenango, Delaware, Otsego, Schohairie, Herkimer and parts of Lewis, Madison and Oneida counties.