Batavia looks for residents, business owners to take part in drive to curb speeding, distracted driving

Batavia officials are hoping residents and business owners jump in to help with a drive in the city to curb speeding and distracted driving.

The city of Batavia, Batavia Public School District 101, the Batavia Park District and the Batavia Public Library are making signs that say Please Drive Carefully available to residents and businesses in the city. The signs aim to encourage drivers to drive at a safe, legal speed, as well as to eliminate distracted driving, city officials said in a press release.

The Please Drive Carefully signs will be available for residents and business owners to post on their property. The signs are an effort to provide a visual reminder to drivers to be careful in the warmer months when more bicyclists and pedestrians are sharing the road, officials said

Also, school will be starting up again in a few weeks, so drivers need to be aware of young people going to and from school, according to the release.

Originally produced in a limited run for public properties, Batavia Mayor Jeffery Schielke requested the signs be made available for all Batavia residents and businesses.

“Batavia has had some very serious traffic incidents this year, and speed and distracted driving have been a factor. We hope that Batavia citizens will display these signs and that they will serve as a reminder to drivers to be more cautious,” Schielke said in the release.

The signs are available at Batavia City Hall, 100 N. Island Ave.; the Batavia Public School District 101 administrative offices, 335 W. Wilson St.; the Batavia Public Library, 10 S. Batavia Ave.; and the Batavia Park District administrative offices, 327 W. Wilson St.