OK, so we do this type of editorial every year but apparently, not everyone in North Kitsap is a) reading it (perish the thought) or b) retaining it’s message until June. So, here we go again.

And again, and again, and …

Residents — in particular, those who drive — may have noticed that there is suddenly more traffic in the mornings and afternoons, than there was, say last Tuesday. Large, yellow buses, sporting flashing lights, stop signs and precious cargo are once again a mainstay on nearly every road in the area.

As infuriating as it is to get “stuck” behind a lumbering, frequently stopping Bluebird, patience — as always — is a virtue North Kitsap drivers must hold true to for their sake and for the sake of this region’s up and comers.

We’re talking about kids here — students to be more precise. And while they may be dreading a book report in front of the whole class (shudder), an algebra test (a car travels down the freeway at 60 mph. Write an expression for the distance the car will have traveled after h hours. Distance equals rate times time, so the distance traveled is equal to 60 × h) or just science in general (careful with those beakers, they cost a fortune), it is our duty to share the road and ensure they are able to get to these important appointments and back home again safely.

While some drivers would assert that their getting to work on time in order to prep for a meeting, make a good impression on the new boss, or get a leg up on the week ahead might trump the “trivial” concerns of their youthful counterparts, we suggest they take a moment or two to think back to their own school days.

Days when that trigonometry exam was an all consuming thing on the horizon that haunted you for days prior. In a nutshell, their needs are just as important as yours.

So is their safety.

But what of those kids who are speeding to school to take said trig exam? This editorial goes out to them as well.

While driving safely is just common sense, it takes on particular importance this time of year, when there are hundreds of additional residents — both young and old — sharing the road.

And share it we must as it belongs to none of us and all of us at the same time.

As in life, we urge everyone to slow down and enjoy the ride.