by Julia Gyger
Staff Writer
School parking lots are known to be quite stressful for new drivers. With students rushing to get to their classes or to leave for the day, this stressful environment can be very dangerous for new drivers. Accidents have been happening more in parking lots, and they can result in injuries to students or damage to cars.
A reason that the school parking lot is so dangerous is because of the high level of traffic. At the beginning and end of the day, so many cars are going in and out, and pedestrians are walking everywhere in every direction. This can be complex for beginner drivers and dangerous. It can also overwhelm beginner drivers. Senior David Fitten says, “It is like walking into a warzone walking in the parking lot.”
Some schools are enforcing strategies by having stricter traffic rules. Some may say enforcing students to stay off their phone in the parking lot would lead to a safer environment. It can help prevent them from getting into fender-benders, near misses, and harming pedestrians.
One of the greatest concerns is the high traffic in such a relatively small area, especially the drop-off line. Parents weave through cars in the drop-off line just to get out, not thinking about how they affect other people’s lives and put others in danger. Some students or parents also have bad road rage and are impatient with others causing a high risk of danger for students.
The parking spot lines are very faint and hard to see. Drivers often can’t see the lines and when they can’t see where to park it can cause collisions into other cars. Cars can park so close together that it’s harder to open their doors, which can result in their hitting another car. Senior Kyle Tiebout says, “I am scared that I am going to go over the line and mess up someone else’s car.”
If you want to stay safe in the school parking lot, it is recommended that you drive slowly and be very aware of your surroundings. It is also a very good idea not to be on your phone while driving in the parking lot so you can protect yourself and pedestrians around you. Taking these precautions can help make a safer environment for everyone.