Dunwoody Police Sgt. Michael Cheek is asking drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, and bus riders to sharpen their awareness before DeKalb County students return to class Monday, Aug. 3.

The city posted Cheek's video safety briefing on Thursday, July 30, covering school zone speeds, flashing school zone lights, phone use behind the wheel, bus-stop behavior, crossing guards, and safe routes for students who walk or bike.

The reminders come as statewide data underscores the risk. A Georgia survey conducted this spring found school buses were illegally passed more than 8,000 times in a single day, according to WSAV. That pace translates to an estimated 1.47 million illegal passings over a full school year. State traffic safety officials say the greatest danger to students is not while they ride the bus but when they are boarding or exiting, moments when distracted or speeding drivers pose the most risk.

"School zones are one place where nobody should be in a hurry," AAA spokesperson Montrae Waiters told WSAV on July 23, during the statewide back-to-school safety campaign. "Slow down, stay focused, and remember that getting a child safely to school is far more important than getting to your destination a few minutes sooner."

Cheek's video, shared on the city's X and Instagram accounts, addresses school zone speeds, flashing zone lights, phone use while driving, bus-stop protocols, crossing guards, and safe walking and biking routes. The guidance targets all four groups of road users: walkers, cyclists, drivers, and bus riders.