School parking lots can be some of the most dangerous places. A combination of inexperienced drivers and traffic accidents in parking lots makes them very dangerous. Making up a total of 20% of all accidents says the United States Department of Transportation. 

Distracted Drivers 

Many believe most accidents are caused by distracted students. Students are shown to be easily distracted, especially new drivers. They are often distracted by friends and or their phones causing them to stop paying attention. Distracted drivers are a significant factor in overall accidents. Katy Cherney, SPASH Junior, who was recently in an accident says, “[ The person who hit me ] was on her phone and speeding and didn’t even stop when she hit me…Her friends said she was ‘just distracted because she was looking for her phone….’”. Other students report that when they get in accidents, they just drive off or act like both were at fault. SPASH junior Sam Zegue was hit while parked in the back of the parking lot. As the other person just drove off “ they hit me like they clipped my mirror and then just drove off and parked.” 

Parents Presence 

Others feel that parent’s presence in the parking lot makes it dangerous. As there is a designated parent pick up and drop off there is no reason the parents would have to be in the parking lot. Their presence creates more traffic and parents do not always understand the flow of traffic in the lot. It can cause unwanted traffic. From personal experience, I have been hit twice by parents in the parking lot. Once getting cut off getting into the line and they even went as far as to brake check me multiple times after I honked at them as both the mother and daughter flipped me. And once with a parent just pulling out right in front of me, I had to, I tried to confront both parents and neither would stop and talk to me. As there is a set area for drop off there should be no need to drop kids off in the parking lot. Many others believe that if they enforced the parking lot for both students and parents the same way (Needing a parking pass) then this would help to eliminate this problem.  “they should be telling parents the same if I can’t park without one why can they” Sam Z SPASH junior 

Possible solutions

When talking to SPASH students about possible solutions they came up with various ideas.  Some of the big ones that stuck out to me were, Sam z SPASH junior believes if we were able to have designated parking spots that either change every year or just every year seniors leave sophomores and move into their parking spots.  Suresh Keefe SPASh senior feels that directional lanes would be beneficial in the lot; this would allow students to see much further behind them when backing up. This would also make the lanes directional so there is less chance of backing into someone or being rear-ended. Dylan Mcclellan SPASH senior believes that if the parking lot was divided into grades like it used to be it would be beneficial to the drivers. The less experienced drivers are parking together and not endangering other drivers. Others feel if we had Mr, Gostomski vice-principal, and the SRO ( School resources officer ) patrolling the parking lot and enforcing that there is a parent drop off, it would help lower traffic getting into the parking lot and eliminate head front traffic near the doors. And the big one staying off your phone! There are over 400 reported deaths and over 30,000 collisions each year to texting and driving according to the NHTSA. Many collisions happen when people only take their eyes off the roads for seconds but are still unaware of their surroundings. 

Overall 

School parking lots can be some of the most dangerous places from distracted and inexperienced student drivers to Parents who don’t belong. All this tied with students trying to get to school as fast as they can makes the parking lot a very dangerous place. Nevertheless, If students and the school came together and implemented ways to improve the parking lot, everyone would be safer.