Batavia offers free ‘PLEASE DRIVE CAREFULLY’ signs after serious accidents in the city this summer

BATAVIA – The city of Batavia, Batavia School District 101, Batavia Park District and the Batavia Public Library are making “PLEASE DRIVE CAREFULLY” signs available to residents and businesses, city officials announced in a news release.

The goal is to encourage drivers to travel at safe, legal speeds and to eliminate distracted driving.

The signs will be available for residents and businesses to post on their property.

Signs are available at Batavia City Hall, 100 N. Island Ave.; the District 101 administration office, 335 W. Wilson St.; the Batavia Public Library, 10 S. Batavia Ave.; and the Batavia Park District administration office, 327 W. Wilson St.

Though they were produced in a limited run for public properties, Batavia Mayor Jeffery Schielke requested the signs be made available for all the city’s residents and businesses.

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

The signs are an effort to provide a visual reminder to drivers to be careful in the beginning of the school year, when more bicyclists and pedestrians are sharing the road.

Earlier this summer, a Batavia woman was killed after she was hit by a car while riding her bike while exiting Les Arends Forest Preserve and a teen boy was critically injured after he was hit by a car while crossing Batavia Avenue at Union Avenue.