Ensuring Back-to-School Safety: Smart Mobility Solutions for Protecting Young Pedestrians

As students gear up and head back to school, the safety of young pedestrians takes center stage. At Iteris, we understand that the flow of people is more than just moving cars; it's about creating safe pathways for everyone, especially children. With the recent return to school across the nation, the need for enhanced road safety measures is paramount.

The Challenge: Protecting Vulnerable Road Users

Busy roads and fast-moving vehicles present significant risks to pedestrian safety, especially for school children. As cities resume normal traffic patterns, students are once again making their way to school on foot. Concerns about crowded buses and other factors are leading more parents to choose driving, resulting in increased traffic and potential dangers for pedestrians.

Smart Mobility Solutions for Safer Roads

To address these challenges, Iteris’ ClearGuide® smart mobility software can assess relative risk by comparing real-time back-to-school traffic volume and speed with different timeframes. It can also identify locations where vehicles consistently exceed speed limits in zones near vulnerable road users (VRUs), giving agencies the data they need to take targeted safety measures.

Strategies for Enhanced Safety

Once traffic hotspots are identified, schools and counties can implement strategies to bolster VRU safety:

• Physical barriers: Temporary measures such as cones or bollards can be used to create separation between VRUs and vehicle traffic, ensuring safer walking routes.
• Crossing guards: Increasing the number of crossing guards at various intersections adds another layer of safety and supervision for children.
• Infrastructure improvements: Investing in improved sidewalks and pathways connecting schools and neighborhoods fosters safer pedestrian travel.
• Staggered timing: Different dismissal times allow both students and parents to combat less traffic.
• Strategic drop offs: Opting for drop off points farther from school gates reduces traffic and creates more space for drop offs and pickups.

Creating a Safer Future

With detailed road usage data and effective safety strategies, schools and counties can make back-to-school transitions safer, easier, and more sustainable—for students, parents, and the rest of the community alike. As we navigate the increased traffic flow during this back-to-school season, let's work together to ensure that pedestrian safety takes precedence every month, fostering a secure environment for students across the nation.

Learn more about our traffic analytic software on the ClearGuide product page.