As a parent, there’s nothing more important to you than the safety of your children. And as a driver, you want to make sure that everyone around you is safe too. That’s why it’s so important to keep school zones safe!
1) Install Speed Radar Signs
You can’t control how fast people are driving in your neighborhood. But you can make sure that they know how fast they’re going. Radar speed signs alert drivers when their vehicle is approaching a school zone and display the zone’s current speed limit. Also, they can display a warning about an upcoming school zone and flashing lights making drivers aware of the speed limit.
2) Create a Crossing Guard Program
If you have limited time to patrol your school zones, having a crossing guard is another great option for keeping kids safe! Cross guards are specially trained employees who walk with children during peak traffic times at the beginning and end of the school day. They help supervise children as they cross busy streets near their school and can call on nearby drivers to stop for pedestrians when needed.
3) Repaint Crosswalks to Increase Visibility
If you have an older neighborhood, your school zone crosswalks may be faded and hard to see. Get the bright colors back by applying fresh coats of paint! Use standard bright yellow or white for the walk lines, but instead of stopping there, make sure that additional reflective tape is placed across each line or post to make them more visible even at night.
4) Add a Speed Camera to Your School Zone
You can’t patrol 24/7, but a camera can! Speed cam systems automatically take photos of speeding vehicles entering the school zone and send those drivers a warning ticket in the mail. And if you want to be proactive about safety, you can even implement a speed cam that takes photos of drivers who are speeding in the zone, rather than just when they’re entering it.
5) Post Additional Signs
Ensure that you post plenty of warning signs about school zones to alert drivers before they enter your neighborhood. You should place cautionary signage at every entrance to the zone, as well as any intersections with stop signs, crosswalks, or other high-risk areas. Also, make sure to post signs at least 100 feet from the school zone’s entrance.
6) Teach Students about Road Safety
If you do have a crossing guard program in place, make sure to educate students on what they should do when it’s their turn to walk home. Have the kids practice crossing streets near their school with cars and traffic cones. They can also help create new signs for the zone. Ensure that everyone is aware of all safety rules before letting them cross streets near their school.
All of these strategies help make the roads safer for everyone, but it’s important to be proactive about your neighborhood safety! Follow this blog post every week for more tips on how you can keep your community safe for both kids and.