Bluebonnet safety tips for the spring season

ABILENE, Texas — Bluebonnet season has arrived in the Big Country, and the flowers are only growing in popularity amongst residents and visitors.

For those who enjoy taking photos of the Texas flora and fauna, this time of year definitely doesn't go unnoticed.

The Texas Department of Public Safety is recommending several safety tips to ensure flower fans stay safe when viewing the bluebonnets.

If you spot the flowers on the side of the road, be sure to be mindful of other drivers when pulling over, and preferably choose a place with low traffic.

Parents with kids are also advised to make sure no snakes or bugs are resting in the bluebonnet patches-- it's their home.

Anyone who wants to take bluebonnets home is free to pick them as long as it's not on private or government property.

Remember these tips the next time you view wildflowers on the side of a road:

• Signal before leaving or entering the roadway.
• Park off the roadway (off of improved shoulders), parallel to the road in the direction of traffic.
• Don’t cross lanes of traffic on foot to get to the flowers.
• Obey signs that prohibit parking on a particular stretch of roadway.
• Remember that failure to follow the rules of the road any time of the year could result in a ticket.

Track crime, special events and more in your neighborhood with AlertNest & KTXS.