Nearly a third of parents worry about their child’s safety when going to school and more than a quarter believe there is a chance that a child will be injured near a drop-off area, according to a nationally representative poll based on over 923 responses from parents with children. six to 12.
Elementary and middle school students are transported to school. More than half of the families polled said their children and teens go to school by car compared to taking the bus, and only 1 in 10 children walk or ride a bicycle or scooter to school. Nearly half of parents also said that their child walked through the pick-up or drop-off area when going to or from school.
In addition to speeding and distraction, other major safety concerns include parents parking in restricted areas, improperly parked cars, children not sitting on the sidewalk, and drivers. bus not paying attention.
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“Most schools have traffic management plans in place to minimize the need for children to walk in front of or between cars,” says Clark. “When parents don’t follow these rules, it disrupts the flow of traffic and can cause other parents to have to pick up their children in the middle of the road. This situation can be even more dangerous if parents are distracted by phone or in a hurry.”
Nearly all parents say that school officials should act when parents obey traffic rules near the school. Two-thirds of parents think schools should put up hats, gates or other barriers to better direct traffic while three-fifths think law enforcement should issue warnings or fines to parents. You violate traffic rules.
While most parents say their school grounds are always supervised by a school official or safety officer, just over two-thirds rate the level of supervision as good.
“The parents in our report absolutely want school officials to be more proactive in addressing school traffic issues,” says Clark.
She notes that elementary school-aged children can be especially vulnerable to traffic-related injuries because they lack the skill to judge when it is safe to cross the street.
“Parents should first make sure they obey the traffic rules at all times. They can also take steps to prepare their child to travel safely to school by making sure that they are safe,” says Clark. they always look to both sides to join traffic”.
“School officials should also do their part to be aware of any safety concerns and strictly enforce the rules. Ultimately, the responsibility for keeping children safe rests with adults. in the school community, including parents, bus drivers, school officials, and law enforcement.”
Source: Eurekalert
