With more pedestrians and bicyclists on Oregon's sidewalks and roads, back-to-school is a good time to remind everyone of the basics of being safe. The key is awareness - and taking time to be cautious and mindful can make all the difference.

"Motorists must pay attention to the task at hand, and that means slowing down in school zones, and watching for children and bicyclists," said Julie Yip, Safe Routes to School program manager at the Oregon Department of Transportation. "Younger children aren't able to judge speed and distance as well as adults can, so it's the responsibility of the driver to be alert."

With the price of gas hovering around $4 per gallon, walking and bicycling to school may be on the increase. It's important that parents, older children and family members share responsibility to help identify safe routes to schools and teach traffic rules to younger children. Several websites provide guidance in making good choices, including www.saferoutesinfo.org and www.walknbike.org. In addition, ODOT offers these safety tips:

For drivers

• Yield to pedestrians at intersections, whether the crosswalk is marked or not. If a pedestrian is crossing at an intersection, you must stop and wait until the pedestrian has cleared your lane and the next lane before you may proceed.

• In school zones, the speed limit is 20 miles per hour. Flashing lights may alert you that you are in a school zone but if there are no flashing lights, the 20-mile-per-hour speed limit is in effect 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on days when school is in session.

• Do not pass other cars stopped at a crosswalk or intersection. The drivers may be stopped for pedestrians.

• When making a right turn at a red light, look to the right and left for pedestrians and bike riders as well as oncoming traffic.

• Where there are no sidewalks, be aware of pedestrians walking along side the road, especially in neighborhoods near schools.

• Do not pass a school bus with flashing red lights.

• When backing out of a driveway or leaving a garage, watch out for children walking or bicycling to school. Always walk around your car before you get in to drive away.

For pedestrians

• Before crossing a street, look "left-right-left" for traffic in all directions. Keep looking for cars and bicycles as you cross the street.

• Don't run out into the street from between parked cars. The cars can hide you from drivers so they can't see you.

• When crossing railroad tracks, stop well away from the tracks, look in both directions and listen for an approaching train. Never try to beat a train across the tracks.

On bikes

• Check your route with a parent or other adult. Choose streets with low traffic volumes, slow speeds, few intersections, and bicycle lanes and sidewalks with no roadway construction.

• Ride in the same direction as traffic, not against traffic.

• At intersections, stop at the curb like a pedestrian and look for cars before crossing and walk the bike across the street.

For bus riders

• Arrive at the bus stop early.

• When the bus approaches, stand at least five giant steps (10 feet) away from the curb.

• Never walk behind the bus or go under the bus.

• Avoid wearing any clothes or accessories that may get caught in a school bus handrail or door. The Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends that drawstrings be no more than three inches in length at the waist. Parents should caution children about attaching key rings and other items to their backpacks as these, too, may become caught on the handrail or door.