Friday was the first day of the 2023-2024 school year for Buffalo Public Schools.

City officials say all the crosswalks outside of schools have been freshly painted and "Be Alert" signs are being placed in all Buffalo school zones to make sure drivers are looking out for kids and their families walking near school buildings. 

"There will be 29,000 students going to and from school," said David Hills, BPS COO. "We want to make sure that from the time they are on the corner to the time that they arrive at school, that everyone has an eye out for safety."

Buffalo police officials are also chiming in. They stress that drivers who illegally pass school buses are subject to various fines and traffic tickets. 

Authorities are also urging parents to teach their kids the importance of using crosswalks to cross the street and to not enter the street in between parked cars where visibility could be poor.