Life is a continuous succession of tests and challenges: a few weeks after completing Operation Bikini, either because you achieve your goals or because you've given up on them, Back to School arrives. And, moreover, it's not just a return, but an eternal return: they go back to school, and you drop them off at school again, day after day after day... Before entering into this whirlwind of comings and goings, we thought we might pause for a moment to reflect on its relationship with road safety. And with other issues.
Back to school and its importance for road safety
It's always advisable, especially with everything we're experiencing, to avoid unnecessary panic. We all know we should be careful when dropping off or picking up our children from school, or when we're simply driving near a school. We don't need anyone to tell us. But perhaps some concrete data can help us understand the situation. For example, according to a study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the United States, more pedestrian deaths among children under 19 occurred between 7 and 8 a.m. and 3 and 4 p.m. than during any other time periods. These deaths account for almost 48% of all deaths. To cite another example , in the United Kingdom, 23% of child deaths occur between 3 and 5 p.m., both pedestrians and passengers. This is a risky situation, perhaps disguised as everyday life. Which makes it even more dangerous. But instead of just looking at the data, let's move on to something more constructive: reflecting on what we can do.How will we return to school tomorrow?
If you live in a big city, you're probably already familiar with the initiatives that propose reducing, sometimes drastically, the volume of traffic around schools. Whether organized or not, the international "movement" shares a starting point that goes beyond road safety. It's not just an issue of the here and now; above all, it's a matter of tomorrow. Ellie Anzilotti raised this point in an article in Fast Company . " It's not just a breeding ground for injuries and accidents, with stressed parents trying to maneuver around unruly children; research also shows it worsens air quality around schools, generating potential health problems in the future ." The idea of reducing drop-offs and pick-ups spread: London, Edinburgh, Vienna, Bolzano... Of course, the debate is open. And it's part of a broader questioning of the urban planning model and even of coexistence. It will be necessary to reconcile the needs of parents and students, of educational centers and businesses. But, once again, to put the issue in perspective, it may be interesting to reflect on specific data: a study by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health concludes that during the time children walk, they absorb 20% of the total daily pollution dose, as cited by Mónica R. Goya . As with all controversial topics, before exchanging proposals that will cause inconvenience (or "adaptations," if we prefer a more positive term), it's a good idea to determine whether they will be effective. Ideally, through realistic pilot tests. And it seems we have that data available.Do these measures work?
Common sense tells us that reducing the number of vehicles involved in maneuvers within a limited space and time would help reduce accidents. And, of course, it would also help reduce pollution levels, to a greater or lesser extent. But... to what extent? TheAir Quality Consultants study on the School Streets initiative (implemented in several London schools in 2017) states that nitrogen dioxide levels have been reduced by 23%. For these reasons, it received support from Transport for London, the British capital's transport authority. As a result, the number of schools adopting these measures has increased exponentially.Tips for the first day
All of these future approaches are interesting, no doubt. And even necessary. But with traffic restrictions or not, with new measures or not, for the time being, we'll have to continue dropping off and picking up children. And so, we thought it might be useful to compile some tips and recommendations that we found particularly interesting. Or rather, perhaps, that are worth keeping in mind. An interesting list is provided by Road Safety in the Company . We highlight a few points:- Children under 1.35 m tall must always ride in the rear seats . The only exception is if those seats are occupied by other children in child seats, or if a child restraint is not available. If the child must travel in the front seat, the passenger airbag must be deactivated.
- Remember that the child must ride in the car seat without a coat or backpack , so that the child is properly secured.
- Reduce your speed near the school or near the traffic limit. Remember the information we provided earlier.
- No exceptions: do not leave your car in a double parking lot .
- Help the child out of the car , if necessary (probably necessary if they're in a car seat). Always use the curb side and check the rearview mirror first.
