Motorists should be particularly watchful now that students are back in school.

In addition to watching for kids walking or riding their bike, parents need to be mindful of bus, seat belt and traffic laws, particularly in school zones.

Recently, Kansas enacted a new seat belt law that governs how children are secured in vehicles. It says:

• Children under the age of 4 must be secured in a federally approved child safety seat (free installation check);
  
  
• Children, ages 4-7, must be secured in a federally approved booster seat if they are less than 4-feet-9-inches tall or weigh less than 80 pounds;
  
  
• Children, ages 8-14 or who weigh more than 80 pounds or is more than 4-feet-9-inches tall, must be in a seat belt anywhere in the vehicle;
  
  
• Children, ages 14-18, must have a seat belt properly fastened at all times when the vehicle is in motion, regardless of where they are sitting;
  
  
• Adults, ages 18 and older, seated in the front seat of a vehicle, must have a seat belt properly fastened at all times when the vehicle is in motion.

The police department will be conducting targeted enforcement of school zones during the school year, checking for speeders and seat belt violators.

If children in the vehicle are not properly restrained, the driver is given information about the importance of restraining children. A ticket also may be issued.

Officers will follow-up and check for voluntary compliance at a later date. During follow-ups, there has been a 50 percent increase in compliance.

In addition to seat belt use, police will monitor compliance with school bus laws. When a motorist approaches a bus with red flashing lights and an extended stop arm, they are required to stop, then wait until all children are safely off the street.

Students who walk or bike to school also should exercise caution, especially early in the school year when motorists are unaccustomed to their presence on the roadways.

The police department has the following tips for students who walk or bike to school:

• Mind all traffic signals and/or the crossing guard and never cross the street against a light, even if you don't see any traffic coming;
• Walk your bike through intersections;
• If you're riding a bike, ride with traffic;
• If you're walking to school, walk facing traffic;
• Never walk out between parked cars; and
• Always walk with a friend or a group of children, if possible.