Whether you’re a veteran headteacher or relatively new to school management, it’s inevitable that at some point you’ll come across the dreaded ‘P’ word – parking.
Pick-ups and drop-offs should be an enjoyable experience and the highlight of a parent’s day. They should be a time for emotional end-of-day hugs, reminiscent of a Hollywood blockbuster – but in reality, the scene outside most primary schools is more like a rescue operation from a war film. It’s every person for themselves, as they briefly abandon their vehicles, grab their offspring, sweep them back into the getaway car and speed off into the sunset, not daring to look back at the chaos left behind.
Comical though it sounds, the truth is that these daily occurrences are putting children’s lives at risk. It’s a blatant and selfish disregard for the law. We all appreciate the pressures many working families are under, but as a charity that supports bereaved and seriously injured road crash victims – many of whom are children – it’s disappointing to hear about such incidents from the many schools we work with.
The consequences of such actions outside the school gates are obvious. Best case scenario, a couple of irate parents exchange words; the worst-case scenario ends in tragedy.
The impact of poor traffic management goes beyond the potential for sudden physical injuries. It’s estimated that poor air quality causes 40,000 premature deaths each year in the UK. Exposure to nitrogen dioxide has been linked to a range of respiratory diseases, while the presence of so many vehicles on the road further puts children off walking and cycling. The result, ironically, is that parents don’t feel it’s safe for their child to walk or cycle due to ongoing traffic and pollution issues, and so take the car instead – thus making the problem even worse.
Brake believes that the most effective way of tackling this is through government investment in public transport and active travel (walking and cycle routes), which would enable parents to leave the car at home. We are also pressing for 20mph to be the default speed limit in urban areas. Children can’t judge the speed of approaching vehicles travelling faster than 20mph, and consequently believe it’s safe to cross when it’s not.
Schools can help by running campaigns themselves. Whether it’s for 20mph limits to be adopted in their community, or for safer crossing places and more segregated cycle paths, we’ve seen some fantastic initiatives. Some schools have partnered with local businesses that have let parents use their parking facilities so they can walk the rest of the way to school. Organising pavement and street artworks can help make trips more exciting. Children can even design ‘parking tickets’ for local police to give to drivers, or take part in a ‘Walk to School’ scheme.
Consult with parents, governors and local residents as you go, and time your campaign well. Why not use Road Safety Week (20-26 November 2017, roadsafetyweek.org.uk) to focus people’s attention? Brake also produces free school resources that can help you drive the message home. Whatever you decide, put the kids at the heart of it.
They can be real advocates for change and be very persuasive – after all, it’s their health and lives at risk.
Dave Nichols is community engagement manager for the road safety charity Brake
