Staying Safe on the School Run

The School Run is a sit-com that has not yet been written. But if it were, it would find an audience. Why? Because for five days out of every seven, throughout most of the year, parents up and down the country attempt the impossible – getting their children to school on time (when their children have only a loose grasp on the concept of time and an even looser attitude towards how late you are going to be for work). Children do not understand that the day is only 24 hours long, and into that 24 hours, we must cram about 28 or 29 hours of tasks. Time is of the essence, and the school run is a daily assault on our morning minutes. 

Before we begin with staying safe on the school run, the congested roads around the school can lead to accidents – check out an auto accident lawyer based in the Mobile area if you are affected. Now, let’s continue…

Find a place to park away from the school 

Schools are rarely built away from residential areas. In fact, they are almost always found in the midst of heavily populated areas, with many side streets and opportunities to park your car just a couple of minutes by foot from the school. By finding your spot and by getting used to the short walk over to the school, you can reduce the risk of a car accident outside of the already congested school gates.

Remember not to park on the kerb, as this can block the way for people with wheelchairs or pushchairs, meaning they would have to venture out into the road to get around your car.

Reduce your speed 

At the moment, the world is going through a testing time with regards to routine due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Returning to school in different areas is variously on then off again, with grade sized or class sized bubbles being sent home in some cases where there are individual reports of the virus. Many children may have missed a significant portion of their school year, and therefore could have forgotten how to behave around the traffic at the school gates. 

In brief, this means that children could run out into the road without so much as a moment’s warning, meaning the speed at which your car is travelling could be the all important factor in whether a potential accident will be serious or not. 

Turn your engine off when stopped

This has two purposes. First, when stopped at the school gates, turn off your engine to stop the fumes from your exhaust covering anyone who walks by. Secondly, you may be used to leaving your foot on the brake when stopped, instead of applying the parking brake and switching off your engine. However, if you drive a car with an automatic gearbox, lifting your foot off the brake (even slightly) often causes the car to begin to roll forwards. Instead, switch your engine off. It’s just safer all round.