Drivers are being reminded to slow down, avoid distractions and watch for children walking and biking as Sacramento students return to school.

The California Office of Traffic Safety announced its “ABCs for School Zone Safety” campaign Monday along Marysville Boulevard in north Sacramento. The campaign encourages drivers to remain “Alert for Bicyclists and Children crossing.”

“As students head back to school, we want every trip to be a safe one,” said Office of Traffic Safety Director Stephanie Dougherty. “The ‘ABCs for School Zone Safety’ campaign highlights driving basics that protect children on their daily routes. Remember your ABCs on every trip—stay alert for bicyclists and watch for and yield to children crossing the street.”

State and local officials selected Marysville Boulevard for the announcement because of recently completed City improvements designed to make the corridor safer for people walking and biking, including students attending nearby Grant Union High School and Michael J. Castori Elementary School.

“The City is acting on clear evidence that Marysville Boulevard needs meaningful safety improvements,” said City of Sacramento Mobility and Sustainability Manager Jennifer Donlon Wyant. “We are investing in proven street designs that address the corridor’s history of severe crashes and better protect the students, families and residents who travel it every day. This project demonstrates how Sacramento is turning its Vision Zero commitments into visible changes on our streets.”

The $1.4 million Marysville Boulevard Pilot Project reduced the roadway from four travel lanes to two between Los Robles Boulevard and Harris Avenue. It also added protected and buffered bike lanes, high-visibility crosswalks at Roanoke and Grand avenues and traffic signal upgrades.

The City prioritized Marysville Boulevard for improvements after its Vision Zero study identified the roadway as having the largest share of pedestrian-involved crashes among Sacramento’s five priority corridors.

The improvements are part of the City’s broader efforts to reduce fatal and serious injury crashes. Although walking accounts for less than 1% of miles traveled in Sacramento, people walking were involved in 43% of the city’s fatal crashes, according to data provided by the Office of Traffic Safety.

The new campaign will run through the end of August and include digital and audio messages in English and Spanish. The messages will remind drivers to follow posted speed limits, stop for school buses and watch for children walking, biking or crossing the street.

The California Highway Patrol and Sacramento Police Department also will conduct traffic enforcement near schools. Officers will focus on speeding, failure to yield and other driving behaviors that place children at risk.

“No parent should have to worry about their child getting to school safely,” Sacramento Police Department Sgt. Ken Collier said. “We know traffic crashes can be prevented, and keeping our students safe takes all of us. The Sacramento Police Department is dedicated to making school zones safer through enforcement efforts and driver education. Everyone in our community has a role to play––slow down, stay alert, and together we can make every street safe for our youth.”

Drivers should follow these safety tips near schools:

• Plan for additional travel time and expect delays during school arrival and dismissal periods.
• Slow down and follow posted speed limits, especially when children are present.
• Stop for school buses displaying flashing red lights and remain stopped until the lights are turned off.
• Put phones away and avoid other distractions while driving.
• Watch for children walking, biking or crossing the street.

The campaign is a partnership among the California Office of Traffic Safety, California Department of Transportation, California Highway Patrol, Sacramento Police Department, City of Sacramento and Slow Down Sacramento.

City continues quick-build safety improvements

The City’s broader safety work includes smaller quick-build improvements that use treatments such as enhanced signage, refreshed striping, lane-narrowing elements and vertical delineators. These projects allow the City to address safety needs while longer-term projects are developed.

In 2025, the City’s Department of Public Works completed more than 100 traffic safety improvements, including 17 quick-build projects, 39 intersection daylighting improvements and 17 school-zone safety upgrades.

Two larger corridor pilot projects, similar to the Maryville Boulevard improvements, are now being designed for Northgate Boulevard and Broadway. Construction is expected to begin in spring 2027.

To guide future work, Public Works is updating the Vision Zero Action Plan using the latest 10 years of crash data. The update will identify new safety strategies and priority locations for future quick-build improvements.

Learn more about the City’s Vision Zero Action Plan and find additional traffic safety information at Go Safely California.