How school openings shift traffic patterns in Dallas-Fort Worth
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A new school year begins this week for North Texas families, marking the return to more predictable routines and early bedtimes. Phew.
Why it matters: Whether you are a parent or not, the return to class reconfigures school zone speed limits, traffic patterns and mall crowds.
The latest: Fort Worth started its first academic year on Monday under a state takeover, saying it had no teacher vacancies heading into the first day of school.
- Dallas ISD's classes begin Tuesday.
The intrigue: Peak travel hours are typically 7-9am and 4-6pm in North Texas, per Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman Tony Hartzel.
- But, when school is in session, those hours shift earlier to around 6:30am and 3:30pm — or even earlier in some areas, Hartzel says.
Threat level: About 870 crashes were reported in Texas' school zones last year, a 12% increase from 2024. Roughly 2,360 crashes involved a school bus, per TxDOT.
- Speeding and distracted driving were the most common causes of the crashes.
What they're saying: Look out for students using crosswalks and speed limit signs around schools. Using a cell phone while in a school zone is illegal, unless you use the device hands free.
- "With school zones active and congestion levels increasing, all motorists should give themselves more time to get to their destination," TxDOT says.
The big picture: In other school news, Texas' law requiring the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom is in effect statewide but remains under challenge.
- Texas' Education Freedom Accounts program — the state's school voucher system — debuts this school year, with participating families receiving state money for private school tuition and approved education costs.