Law enforcement urging caution around school zones

ST. PETERSBURG (FOX 13) - School safety has been a top priority for parents and school officials since the tragic shooting in Parkland last year. But with the recent death of a Hillsborough student who was hit and killed leaving campus, parents are hoping students and drivers take safety outside the classroom just as seriously. 

“Pay attention, regardless if it says to walk or not,” urged Christina Lasevoli, a mother of four high school students. 

Fellow parent Aymara Diaz says she’s concerned about the way people drive near her two children’s middle school. 

“My concern is the drivers, they speed through school zones,” Diaz said. “The police are the ones that have to enforce more.”

That is precisely what law enforcement plans on doing Monday morning.

“You can expect a large presence of us working the school zones with patrols and traffic units,” explained Sgt. Anthony Frangioni, an officer with the Sarasota Police Department. “You can also expect delays, they are going to happen.”

St. Pete Police took to Twitter to try to educate drivers on how to properly share the road with school buses. 

“My concerns is with the children themselves driving to school,” said Pinellas County resident Jennifer Fugate. “They need to be the ones looking out for everyone else.”

Many districts in the area are urging parents to allow for extra time to get class based on the increased patrols.