Science tells us that summer technically starts June 20, but many people feel like we are already in the middle of that much anticipated season.

School has been out for a couple of weeks now and long days all but beg to be filled with fun activities.That is especially true for younger folks.

The kids are, hopefully, out and about. But kids being kids, they are more focused on what they are doing and less likely to be paying attention to things around them, even things that could hurt them. The situation is magnified by the fact that so many of them will have their eyes and minds zeroed in on some electronic device, even when they are outside.

This creates a level of responsibility for adults.

While it is up to parents to decide how much screen time their kids should have, all adults have some responsibility to ensure the safety of the neighborhood children. And it’s actually easy.

Start with obeying the speed limit and all other traffic laws.With children running, walking and zooming around on their bikes, often without paying attention to their surroundings, safe driving by adults will provide a level of safety for all. And if a ball comes bouncing out into the street, it is a pretty sure bet that a child will be right behind it, so slow down.

The other thing adults can do is report anything that just doesn’t seem right in their neighborhoods. Police officers and deputy sheriffs would much rather get a call, go check something out and find out it is nothing, than have a situation develop that no one tells them about.

The phrase “If you see something, say something” was coined for airport and transportation security, but it applies everywhere.

If everyone uses some common sense and follows basic rules, it will go a long way toward ensuring a safe summer for all.