1 in 3 parents are concerned that school traffic is a danger to children

For some elementary and middle school students, one of the most nerve-wracking parts of the school day begins before the first bell rings: in the morning.

Drivers rushed. Vehicles in the wrong place. Children trying to pass the snarling of cars and buses.

Many parents agree in a new national survey on this school traffic movement It can pose a safety risk to students, with more than a third of parents saying speeding and inattentive drivers are major problems around their child’s school.

One in three parents even go so far as to say that those who evade traffic rules should be barred from entering the school’s parking area, according to the CS Mott Children’s Hospital National Survey on Children’s Health at the University of Michigan Health.

“Many parents are afraid to go back to the daily hassles of getting their children to school, and one of the most important of these concerns children Sarah Clark, co-director of Mott Poll, MPH . said:

Nearly a third of parents are concerned about their children’s safety to and from school with more than a quarter believing that a child is likely to be harmed near a drop-off area, according to a nationally representative survey based on 923 responses from parents of children ages six to 12.

Going to school is common in primary and middle school students. More than half of families surveyed say that their children and teens travel to school by car compared to taking a bus, and that only one in ten children walk or ride a bike or motorcycle to go to school. Nearly half of parents also say their child walks through the car drop-off or pickup area when getting to or from school.

In addition to speeding and distracted drivers, other major safety concerns include parents parking in no-parking areas, stopping in the wrong place, children not staying on the sidewalk, and a lack of attention from bus drivers.

“Most schools have a plan in place to manage traffic and reduce the need for children to walk in front of or between cars,” Clark said. “When parents don’t follow these rules, it disrupts the flow of traffic and may mean other parents have to drop off or pick up their kids halfway. This situation can be even more dangerous if parents are distracted by phones or in a hurry.”

Almost all parents say that school officials should take action when parents avoid traffic rules near the school. Two-thirds of parents think the school should put in cones, gates or other barriers to better guide them Flow of traffic And three in five say law enforcement should give warnings or tickets to parents who break traffic rules.

While most parents say their school district is always supervised by a school official or safety officer, just over two-thirds rate the level of supervision as good.

“Parents in our report very much want school officials to be more effective in tackling traffic problems at school,” Clark said.

She points out that elementary school-aged children may be particularly vulnerable to traffic-related injuries because they are less adept at judging when it is safe to cross the street.

“Parents should first ensure that they are constantly following traffic rules themselves. They can also take steps to prepare their children for safe travel to and from school by making sure they always look out for both directions of traffic,” Clark said.

“School officials must also do their part to be aware of any safety concerns and strictly enforce the rules. Ultimately, the responsibility to keep children safe rests with the adults at the school. The school society, including parents and bus drivers, school officialsAnd the law enforcement. ”