School Children and Dangerous Intersections Can Be Deadly Mix
4 September 1998
Auto Club Says School Children and Dangerous Intersections Can Be Deadly Mix
LOS ANGELES--Sept. 3, 1998--As children head back to school, the Automobile Club of Southern California reminds motorists and parents to use extra caution and practice safe driving habits when transporting children or driving near schools or busy intersections.
More than 4,000 California children ages 5 to 15 were killed or injured in pedestrian-related crashes in 1997.
The first week of school for many students coincides with National Stop on Red Week (Sept. 4-11), a national effort to prevent crashes caused by motorists who run red lights. Busy intersections near schools can be potential hazards to parents and children walking or driving to school.
"After two to three months of not seeing students, motorists should be alert for children hurrying to school or bus stops because they may not remember to watch out for cars," said Arline Dillman, Ph.D, the Auto Club's traffic safety expert.
"Motorists need to slow down, obey traffic laws, and be alert when driving in all residential areas and busy intersections, not just school zones where the speed limit is 25 miles per hour. Parents transporting children to school should allow enough time so they are not rushed and tempted to drive recklessly, such as failing to stop at stop signs or red lights."
Parents transporting children to school and other motorists should keep the following safe-driving tips in mind:
-- Be careful at busy intersections near schools. Come to a complete stop at red lights and at intersections with stop signs.
-- Follow the school's rules about loading and unloading passengers. Failing to do so could jeopardize the safety of children.
-- Drive with headlights on (even during the day) to be more visible to children and other drivers.
-- Look for clues that indicate children might be in the area, such as school safety patrols, adult crossing guards, bicycles, school buses and playgrounds.
-- While driving, scan between and around parked cars and other objects for signs of children about to dart into the road.
-- Practice extra caution in bad weather by increasing your following distance, since it may be more difficult to see and stop for children.
-- Stop for school buses flashing their red lights. Red lights flashing on a stopped school bus mean that children will be getting off or on the bus, so drivers approaching the bus from either direction must come to a complete stop. Drivers should slow down and use extra caution even when lights aren't flashing when driving near a school bus or school bus loading zone.
-- Use the three-second rule for establishing a safe following distance. Choose a fixed road mark and start to count as the vehicle ahead passes the mark. Motorists should be able to count 1,001 ... 1,002 ... 1,003 before passing the fixed point. This precaution provides extra reaction time to stop when approaching a school bus that is loading or unloading students.
-- Drivers should buckle up every time they get in the car. If transporting children 12 and under, restrain them properly in the back seat. This is the safest place in the car, even in cars not equipped with air bags. A rear-facing child safety seat should never be installed in the front seat of a vehicle that is equipped with a passenger-side air bag. Car safety seats position children dangerously close to the air bag when it deploys.
Parents whose children walk to school or to a bus stop can reduce the hazards their children face by planning ahead:
-- Discuss and map out the safest route to and from school or the bus stop before school starts.
-- Establish safe walking habits, such as using crosswalks correctly, adhering to traffic signals, looking left, right, left again and over the shoulder for turning cars before crossing a street, and allowing enough time to cross safely, and using walk push buttons at signals where they are available.
-- Point out possible traffic hazards, such as walking where there are no sidewalks or crossing at intersections without traffic signals.
The Auto Club provides free brochures on school travel safety through its local district offices, and "School's Open -- Drive Carefully" bumper stickers to schools, parent/teacher associations, police departments and other safety organizations. To request stickers, call 800/541-5552.
The Automobile Club of Southern California, the largest affiliate of the AAA, has been serving members since 1900. Today, the Auto Club's members benefit by the organization's emergency road service, financial products, travel agency and trip planning services, highway and transportation safety programs, insurance products and services, automotive pricing, buying and financing programs, automotive testing and analysis and legislative advocacy.
Information about these products and services is available on the Auto Club's Web site at www.aaa-calif.com.
Los Angeles' Top Five List of Most Dangerous Red Light Running Intersections
The following intersections in the City of Los Angeles had the highest number of collisions in 1997 caused by drivers who ran red lights:
-- 1. Burbank Blvd. and Colfax Ave., 11 crashes
-- 2. Santa Monica and Westwood Boulevards, 9 crashes
-- 3. Normandie Ave. and Torrance Blvd., 7 crashes
-- 4. (Tie with 6 crashes apiece) Arcadia and Los Angeles streets
Arlington Ave. and Pico Blvd.
Imperial Highway and Olive Street
Wilton Place and Eighth Street
-- 5. (Tie with 5 crashes apiece) Broadway and 54th Street
Flower Street and Olympic Blvd.
Flower and 11th Streets
Hill and 18th Streets
Lassen Street and Reseda Blvd.
Lindley Place and Olympic Blvd.
Olympic Blvd. and Union Ave.
Oxford Ave. and Wilshire Blvd.
Winnetka and Plummer Avenues
Rampart and Wilshire Boulevards
Terra Bella Street and Woodman Ave.
Wilshire Blvd. and Wilton Place
In all, 40 Los Angeles intersections had at least four crashes in 1997 that were caused by drivers running red lights.
Source: California Highway Patrol
BACK-TO-SCHOOL SAFETY TIPS
For motorists and parents:
-- Slow down and be alert in all residential areas and busy intersections.
-- Allow enough time to avoid being tempted to run red lights and stop signs.
-- Follow the school's rules about loading and unloading passengers.
-- Remember that the speed limit in school zones is 25 miles per hour when children are present.
-- Drive with headlights on (even during the day) to be more visible.
-- Look for clues that indicate children might be nearby -- school safety patrols, adult crossing guards, bicycles, school buses and playgrounds.
-- Scan between and around parked cars and other objects for signs of children about to dart into road.
-- Practice extra caution in bad weather by increasing following distance.
-- Stop for school buses flashing their red lights. Red lights flashing on a stopped school bus mean that children will be getting off or on the bus, so drivers approaching the bus from either direction must come to a complete stop.
-- Always wear a safety belt. Children 12 and younger should be restrained properly in the back seat. A rear-facing child safety seat should never be installed in the front seat of a vehicle equipped with a passenger-side air bag.
When walking:
-- At corners/intersections, look ALL WAYS (left, right, left again, and over the shoulder for turning cars) before crossing.
-- Parents should be familiar with the recommended route and walk it with the child in advance of the opening day of school.
-- Cross at corners with traffic signals, crossing guards, stop signs, when possible.
-- Use the "walk" push buttons at signals where they are available. If the walk sign is flashing and you are already crossing, continue to the other side. If you haven't started, don't; wait for the next light.
When bicycling:
-- Always wear a helmet.
-- Obey the Rules of the Road -- a bike is a vehicle and must follow the same rules as cars.