Parents Can Be Serious Traffic Hazards Children and traffic can be a hazardous mix. School is finished for the day. Elementary school students dash through a heavy downpour. Soon, traffic starts to back up as parents arrive from all directions. Some beckon from across the street; others double park, blocking traffic. In the midst of this chaos, school buses try to leave the school grounds. In
today's fast-paced society, scenes like this are becoming more common. Our
country has more cars on its roads today than ever before and there are
many more children in our schools. In fact, some schools must run double
sessions to handle the overload.
Because we have fewer neighborhood schools, children are bused greater distances to school. That means more buses. All these factors add up to more traffic around schools and more hazards for our children. And, without realizing it, parents like those in the above scenario can add to those hazards. Stating The Issue Besides causing needless traffic congestion, parents often double park or stop on cross walks, blocking visibility for children and other motorists. Visibility is further reduced for both drivers and pedestrians during rain or snow or when windows fog over from condensation. When drivers and youngsters cannot see each other, collisions are more likely to occur. Frequently, parents load or unload children across from the school or bus stop. Youngsters, faced with all the hazards mentioned above, must then cross a busy street to reach their destination. Or children may open a door on the wrong side of the car and dash directly into the path of an oncoming car. Parents occasionally stop in moving traffic, expecting their children to get out and scramble to the sidewalk or bus or run across busy streets. Such actions cause collisions. Most occur on rainy days, when more parents than usual drive their children to school. Bad weather isn't always the culprit. Negligent parental behavior also can cause collisions. Sometimes parents deliberately block the path of a school bus to keep their children from missing the bus. And some parents even drive beside a bus, tooting the car horn and waving frantically for the driver to stop. In most cases, they want to deliver a forgotten school lunch. It would be better for a child to miss lunch or be late for school than to be involved a collision. What Can You Do? To avoid
these hazardous traffic situations, make a real effort not to drive your
child to school or the bus stop. Walking is good for children. It can
increase their self reliance and sense of responsibility. A well-organized
morning that allows enough time for children to walk to school or the
school-bus stop begins the day on a positive note for everyone children,
parents, and teachers. It also encourages safe behavior. When your children
begin school, walk with them to the school or the school-bus stop several
times.
If you walk to meet your children, take extra care. Young children are easily distracted; when excited, they may dash across the street to meet you without looking first. To avoid this risk, try to be at the school when it lets out and always approach on the school side of the street. With your help, your children can become confident and capable of handling various traffic situations on their way to school. Practical Suggestions If you must drive your children to or from school, these suggestions can help minimize traffic hazards for all children:
Parents of children attending the school frequently are among the offenders. Concern for our children's education and safety go hand in hand. If there is a topic you would like to see added to our Tip of the Month, please let us know.
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