Survey Reveals Nearly Two-Thirds of Drivers Speed in School Zones
4 October 2000
National Survey Reveals Nearly Two-Thirds of Drivers Speed in School Zones, Suggesting Neglect of Child Pedestrians Community Wide National SAFE KIDS Campaign and Fedex Express Kick
Off Nationwide Pedestrian Safety Initiative
Police to Enforce Speed Limits Around Schools This Week
WASHINGTON, Oct. 4 According to a national survey released
today by the National SAFE KIDS Campaign, the majority of motor vehicles in
school zones exceed the speed limit. The prevalence of speeding around
schools, where safety measures exist, suggests that drivers are even more
neglectful in residential areas.
Pedestrian injury is the second leading cause of unintentional injury-
related death among children ages 5 to 14. Motor vehicle crashes account for
approximately 80 percent of all childhood pedestrian deaths, with children
ages 5 - 9 at highest risk. Children are especially vulnerable to pedestrian
death because they face traffic threats that exceed their cognitive,
developmental, behavioral, physical and sensory abilities. Speed also plays a
critical role in pedestrian injury.
To address this important issue, FedEx Express has joined the National
SAFE KIDS Campaign as a program sponsor to launch a widespread pedestrian
safety initiative. Its goals will be to help educate children, parents and
motorists about the importance of pedestrian safety. As part of this effort,
FedEx Express employee volunteers, community leaders, parents and schools are
participating in Walk Our Children to School Day and will form pedestrian
safety task forces to make streets more walkable by implementing traffic
calming measures.
As a response to the survey, SAFE KIDS, with support from law enforcement,
has announced an aggressive campaign to enforce speed limits in school zones
in approximately 30 cities across the country from October 4-6, 2000.
The results of Child Pedestrians at Risk in America: A National Survey on
Speeding in School Zones, the first national survey of its kind, were based on
an analysis of vehicles traveling in 63 school zones in 29 cities in September
2000. SAFE KIDS coalitions and local law enforcement observed vehicle speeds
using speed-measuring devices during 30 minute time periods before and after
school, the busiest traffic times for children who walk to school. A total of
16,714 vehicle speeds were captured.
The findings revealed that the majority of drivers speed in areas where
children most frequently walk:
* Sixty-five percent (10,912) of drivers were traveling over the speed
limit;
* Nearly a quarter (3,843) of drivers were traveling at least 10 mph
above speed limit; and
* Five percent (879) of drivers were traveling at
least 20 mph above speed limit.
In addition, the Campaign found that regardless of speed limit, many cars
were traveling at speeds that could be lethal to children:
* A third of drivers (5,468) were going 30 mph or above.
A child's risk of being killed when hit by a vehicle traveling at 30 mph
is about 40 percent.
* Seven percent of drivers (1,105) were traveling at 40 mph or above.
A child's risk of being killed when hit by a vehicle traveling at 40 mph
is about 80 percent.
"The results of this survey are a red flag for families," said Heather
Paul, Ph.D., executive director of the National SAFE KIDS Campaign. "If cars
speed in areas most sacred for children, we know that child pedestrians are at
risk on our community streets. It's time to turn this trend around."
As part of the program entitled SAFE KIDS Walk this Way, FedEx employees
in nearly 40 cities joined today with local SAFE KIDS coalitions to conduct
pedestrian safety events at local schools in celebration of Walk Our Children
to School Day. As part of the effort, they also conducted community-wide
assessments of the streets surrounding their schools.
"At FedEx, we take safety very seriously. As a vital part of the
communities we serve, FedEx wants to make sure that our children and motorists
understand the importance of pedestrian safety," said Dave Bronczek, president
and chief executive officer, FedEx Express. "Keeping children safe while
walking to school, to a friend's house or just around the corner should be a
concern for everyone. That's why FedEx is pledging our support to raise
awareness of pedestrian safety across the country."
The campaign also includes an aggressive effort to enforce school zone
speed limits and help minimize children's risk of getting hit by cars. This
week, law enforcement officials will be ticketing drivers who are caught
speeding in and around school zones, where children are particularly
vulnerable.
"Drivers need to be aware that exceeding speed limits not only puts our
children at risk, but is against the law and will not be tolerated," said
Chief Charles H. Ramsey of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department.
Additionally, as part of the effort, the National SAFE KIDS Campaign
announced the creation of task forces around the country that will identify
key improvements vital to child pedestrian safety, forge relationships with
city and county officials to participate in the task force, and work to
promote the enactment of recommendations.
For a copy of Child Pedestrians at Risk in America: A National Survey of
Speeding in School Zones, please visit the Campaign's Web site at
http://www.safekids.org or call (202) 662-0600.
The National SAFE KIDS Campaign is the first and only national
organization dedicated solely to the prevention of unintentional childhood
injury -- the number one killer of children ages 14 and under. More than 290
state and local SAFE KIDS coalitions in all 50 states, the District of
Columbia and Puerto Rico comprise the Campaign. Former U.S. Surgeon General
C. Everett Koop, M.D., Sc.D., is chairman of the Campaign.
http://www.safekids.org.
