School Zone Safety Information
 
 School parking lots and drop-off/pick-up areas frequently are congested due to large numbers of private vehicles attempting to access school grounds. In many cases, on-site facilities-even for new school sites-were unable to accommodate the large demand, resulting in congestion and queuing on site.

As traffic volumes increase on and around school sites during drop-off and pick-up periods, so do the number of potential conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians. When different transportation modes compete for the same space, coupled with inadequate traffic control and supervision, an unsafe environment can result.

 Many existing school driveways and parking lots were not designed to handle the large numbers of vehicles picking up and dropping off students, in terms of circulation or parking. In addition, many urban schools (built before 1980) do not have driveways or parking lots to use for pick-up and drop-off. As a result, the adjacent streets are lined with parked vehicles.

 Many of the observations and solutions for on-site problems also apply to the on-street issues observed. Providing consistent and visible traffic control on the streets adjacent to schools presumably will aid pedestrians and drivers as they enter a school zone. More visible school zones also can be obtained by maintaining School signs, sidewalks and crosswalk pavement markings; using high-visibility signing; the presence of adult monitors and crossing guards; and other traffic calming features.

 Signing and pavement markings should be maintained on a regular basis (at least once per year) and, preferably, school zone signing and pavement markings should be checked at the beginning of the school year and periodically thereafter to ensure that they are in good condition in all environments (day, night, wet).

 Reduced speeds near schools are fairly standard; however, drivers do not always observe speed limits. Providing supplemental signing in a school zone may offer an additional reminder to drivers to slow down. Real-time speed radar signs that flash vehicle speeds are becoming more popular in school zones, as well as "Fines Double in School Zones" signs.

 Pedestrian countdown timers at signalized intersections and mid-block crossings are seen as a benefit to students because they gauge whether they have enough time to cross the street. Trained adult crossing guards also provide students additional assistance when crossing busy streets.

CONClUSION

 The number of students arriving and departing from school in passenger vehicles has increased to approximately 50 percent, up from 12 percent three decades ago. Both on-site and on-street traffic and safety problems are occurring as a result of this shift in transportation modes. Communication among schools, parents, cities, law enforcement and students about behavior expectations in school zones is critical to success and safety in school zones.

 Safety problems most frequently observed included students crossing at unmarked crosswalks, students unloading and loading on the street side, all transportation modes (bus, pedestrians, vehicles) sharing the same space and traffic violations. In addition to these student and driver behaviors, many schools did not have structured arrival or dismissal procedures in place and did not have a school transportation safety committee established to assist with problems before and after school.

 Be sure to take advantage of the Safe Routes To School funding program being offered to all municipalities by the Federal government, and learn how your school can benefit from this incredible program and how U.S. Barricades and U.S. Traffic Sign can assist you in creating Safe Routes to School.

Federal Funding for School Zones
http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/saferoutes/srtsguidance.htm

State Routes To Schools Funding
http://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/saferoutes/fy09projection.htm