Keeping Kids Safe and Cars Slow in Designated School Zones

It’s that time of year, when summer still lingers, but school districts across the country are preparing for the start of a new school year. And it’s also that time of year when thoughts of how safely children can get in and out of school each day becomes a pressing concern.

As children head to school, the convergence of young pedestrians and local traffic can present unique challenges. With awareness of the dangers of school zone speeding and an understanding of available safety measures, cities can create a safer environment that protects every child, every day.

Dangers of School Zones

School zones present significant safety challenges, which highlight the urgency of taking proactive measures to protect young children. According to the Transporation Research Board, over 100 children are killed each year as they walk to or from school. In one study of teen students, 80% did not use safe crossing methods. Implementing safety measures in school zones is essential to protecting young lives.

The higher risk of accidents in school zones is due to a combination of factors:

1. Increased Pedestrian Traffic: With children walking or biking to school, there is a higher volume of foot traffic that needs to be carefully managed.

2. Driver Distractions: Parents dropping off their children and drivers rushing to get to work often do not pay attention sufficiently, leading to added risk.

3. Speeding Vehicles: Often, local traffic may not notice or adhere to the reduced speed limits in school zones, increasing the risk of accidents.

4. Poor Visibility: During early mornings or late afternoons, reduced visibility can make it difficult for drivers to see pedestrians and school crossing guards.

These dangers underscore the need for effective safety measures in school zones to protect our children.

The Role of Local Traffic Management

Creating safer school zones requires a concerted effort from cities to assess, implement, and evaluate effective ways to keep kids safe. Here’s how local traffic authorities can play a pivotal role:

1.      Improving Signage and Signals: The first step to ensuring safe school zones is ensuring that local drivers know they’ve entered a school zone. Clear visible signs, such as LED speed display signs, offer a bright visual reminder of posted speed limits. They notify drivers of their speeds alongside the posted speed limits, encourage drives to pay attention and slow down, and flash to alert speed violators. The real-time feedback has been proven to slow drivers down and is an effective speed deterrent that can help keep kids safe.

2.      Enforcing Speed Limits: School zone speed limits are reduced for a good reason. Strictly enforcing these speed limits can help reduce the risk of accidents. This can be done by increasing patrols and speeding fines during school drop-off and pick-up times. Alternatively, data from radar signs can be used to highlight if and when speeding is occurring to limit the need for police presence only when it’s needed most. For school zones that aren’t using radar signs, small, inexpensive, speed tracking devices can provide the same data.

Speed cameras are another effective technique to enforce speed limits without the need for physical police presence. Research shows that speed cameras are a highly effective technique for reducing speeding and improving safety in school zones. While not often popular with drivers, speed cameras are one of the best ways to slow speeders down.

3.      Enhancing Crossing Areas: Safe and well-marked pedestrian crossings, along with crossing guards, can significantly improve student safety. Installing rubber speed tables outside of schools can serve the dual purpose of slowing local traffic down while providing a visual crosswalk for students to cross. Traffic Logix speed tables are embedded with highly visible highway tape so that they are visible to drivers from afar and offer a safe crossing surface for students as they head to and from school buildings.

4.      Fostering a Culture of Attentiveness: Beyond physical devices to enhance street safety and protect school children, cities can improve student safety by creating a culture of attentiveness for drivers, parents, and teachers. Drivers should be encouraged to be mindful of speed limits in school zones and to stay alert and pay attention as they drive. Parents can emphasize the importance of following traffic rules and model safe behavior as they navigate local streets. And teachers can work to ensure that school zone laws are understood and respected and that students understand the importance of paying attention and navigating roads safely by foot, bike, and for older students, behind the wheel.

As children head back to school, it’s crucial to address the safety of school zones with a comprehensive approach. By combining effective local traffic management with innovative solutions from Traffic Logix, your city can create a safer environment for all children. Let’s work together to ensure that every school zone is a secure place where students can safely navigate their way to and from school every day.

Ready to create safer school zones? Fill out the form on the right and we can guide you toward a safer school year.