Turning 16 for a lot of teenagers means freedom of having a license and car. Being able to drive themselves wherever they want, they are also given the responsibility of taking themselves to school. Even though they are licensed, many students are inexperienced with driving, and have a hard time fully understanding the rules of the road. Students especially have a hard time fully understanding the importance of being alert to surroundings and the safety of themselves when they get into frustrating situations on the road.
Considering the new parking rules and regulations that have been installed in recent years, many students struggle to handle getting to school and getting a spot because of the scarcity of both parking spots and parking passes on campus. Student populations have slowly been growing, making parking spots quite difficult to get their hands on.
Not to mention the inflow of traffic, especially during pickup and dismissal, makes parents and students a lot more prone to accidents because of the constant bustling activity. Navigating the packed school environment, specifically during drop-off and pick-up times, the risk of colliding with other cars and near-misses has started to become an ever pressing concern for both the school administrators and parents alike.
“I have a hard time getting into school when it’s close to the late bell, especially because of the kids rushing to get to class on time. They often pull a lot of dangerous acts just to make sure they get there before the bell, and it’s just not worth it,” Kieran Carranza says about her experience with the road rage. “And during dismissal, nobody cares about letting you back out or stop signs, and it’s a nightmare trying to beat the crowd.”
One of the primary contributing factors to these accidents is the sheer volume of vehicles that come onto the school premises during its peak hours. As parents rush to wait to either drop off or pick up their kid, congestion backs up, and creates a chaotic environment prone to many mishaps at any moment. In addition, distracted drivers, speeders in a rush, and people disregarding traffic rules further increase the likelihood of accidents occurring.
The battle against car accidents at schools remains an ongoing challenge for both students and administrators that deserves more attention to address the issue. Drivers are encouraged to take caution when navigating through these school zones, while being reminded of their regular responsibility to obey traffic regulations and focus on the safety of both pedestrians and fellow drivers.
“I was just coming out of the school and saw an accident happen right behind me.” Stated Austin Noble, a Junior at SHS. He continued “I had to swerve out of the way to avoid being a part of the crash, but they were both students. When they collided into each other’s sides, I quickly moved out of the way so I didn’t get hit too. I was just confused as to why they were in such a rush when we were stopped. Neither of them seemed to really be paying attention to their surroundings and I think that was the biggest problem.” Many new drivers are uncomfortable on the road, and can significantly cloud their mind to only focus on one thing at a time when behind the wheel.
Driving can be an extremely freeing activity and opportunity, but both students and parents must agree to take more action on being safe and responsible on the road and operating vehicles. It’s dire that we stay committed in our investment to protect the well-being of our students, and thoroughly ensure that the school and the environment feel and remain safe and secure for learning.