Zone in school zones

“Our children depend on your driving” is a message that has been featured countless times in various media to remind motorists of safe driving behaviors to prevent serious injuries and deaths to children in car accidents. But how many embed that message while speeding through a school zone to get to work on time? How many remember the message while texting your spouse, friend or colleague while driving through a school zone?

Many child pedestrians are killed on the streets or sidewalks of their school zones due to the reckless and irresponsible behavior of motorists. In 2009, 183 child pedestrians between the ages of 5 and 15 were killed in car accidents. In 2008, 20% of all children between the ages of 5 and 9 who died in traffic accidents across the country were pedestrians, that is, 78 deaths. Here is another message to remember while driving: “Slowly, you are never far from a school.”

At most schools, the school zone speed limit is 15 or 20 mph. Special speed limit signs are posted around schools to alert one when entering the zone. These signs have flashing lights to tell you when the lower speed limit is in effect. There is also a sign to indicate when you have left the school zone. The reasons for lower speed limits when there are school-age children are obvious. Children will cross the street on foot and on their bikes. There will be extra heavy traffic of parents picking up their children. Children are also very unpredictable, so you never know when a child will rush across the street when she’s not supposed to. Also, there will be school buses going to and from the school. Therefore, the following are numerous school zone security tips and what you need to know for motorists:

• Because of their size, it is difficult for children to see motorists or for motorists to see them. Because their peripheral vision is about one-third narrower than that of an adult, children cannot see an approaching motorist from the right or left as soon as an adult can.
• Children also have difficulty judging the speed and distance of a car, often thinking that if they can see the driver, the driver can see them.
• Drivers must respect the speed limits at all times, but especially around children. When driving in school zones, near playgrounds, or in neighborhoods where children may be playing, motorists should always expect a child to run onto the road.
• When turning left at a green light or turning right on red, drivers should watch for pedestrians as well as cars. Pedestrians always have the right of way in these situations.
• Please be courteous to the school crossing guards. These guards spend countless hours helping our children cross busy streets when arriving and leaving school. Crossing guards are often met with hostile attitudes from people who are more concerned with their own personal agendas than the safety of school-age children.
• While picking up children, do not stop or park in the crosswalk.
• Avoid using a cell phone in and around school grounds. If you’re texting, talking, or making a call, it can affect your ability to react quickly. Again, children’s actions can be unpredictable. Additionally, many drivers ignore school zone speed limit signs and signs due to cell phone distraction.
• When a school bus stops, you must stop. Never pass a school bus that is loading or unloading children. Passing a stopped school bus is a four point infraction and is very dangerous.
• apply the SIPDE Defensive Driving Formula in school zones. S=Search (the driving environment)I= Identify (predetermined or possible dangers), P= Predict (the worst course of action that other drivers or passengers could take in those scenarios)D=Decide (what you will do to avoid a crash), E=Execute (do what you decided to do).

In a school zone scenario, an example would be: SEARCH for the school zone environment; IDENTIFY any potential hazards or predetermined hazards, such as children walking too close to the sidewalk; PREDICT the worst course of action children might take, such as jaywalking or crossing between moving vehicles; DECIDE what you will do, such as maintain a safe following distance, slow down a couple of miles even though you are driving within the speed limit, and give your full attention to the school zone environment; and finally EXECUTE their decisions.

It is not worth worry, personal agenda or impatience causing the death of children in car accidents. By focusing on that thought process and mindset every day while driving, we can be key stakeholders in being in the cold zone of driving.