Even though the calendar shows another month of summer to be enjoyed, for students and teachers, vacation days are ending. All across our area, they are heading back to school.

Classes at St. Edmond Catholic School and the Manson Northwest Webster and Southeast Valley school districts began Friday.

The fall semester at Iowa Central Community College begins Monday.

And Wednesday is the first day of classes in the Fort Dodge Community School District.

The first day of classes means a new school year full of learning, activities and opportunities is beginning.

It also means that at certain times in the morning and in the afternoon there are a lot more people moving around the community. Many of them are young children.

That makes it especially important that each of us resolve to keep our streets and highways safe.

Paying heed to a few safety tips can help prevent the new school year from turning tragic.

• Obey speed limits and always drive with proper regard to the weather and road conditions.

• Wear seat belts. They save lives, and buckling up is the law.

• Pay close attention to what is going on around you. With more youngsters enroute to or from school at busy commuting times, the chance that a child will dash into the path of a vehicle is real. Be ready to avert tragedy.

• Avoid driving while fatigued.

• Remember that alcohol and driving never mix. If you imbibe, make sure that the driving is done by someone who stays sober.

• Stay off your cell phones while driving and never even consider texting at the wheel, which is illegal.

None of these admonitions should sound surprising.

Most of us have heard other similar cautions before.

Even so, many accidents could be avoided if we all exercised common sense and made personal commitments to keep ourselves and others safe.

As schools open, let’s all pledge that no seats in classrooms will become vacant due to our carelessness on the road.