Volusia County schools crack down on pedestrian safety

Schools to provide safety information to students, parents

VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – Volusia County schools are preparing for crackdown on pedestrian safety for the 2012 school year, which begins on Monday.

Volusia County Schools spokeswoman Nancy Wait said the big focus for traffic changes is in the middle schools, specifically in Orange City, where 10 accidents involving students happened last school year.

The schools will also host assemblies, give more reminders during announcements and let parents know about new policies aimed at keeping middle school students walking or biking home safe.

Wait said as far as physical traffic changes, the road leading into both Manatee Cove Elementary and River Springs Middle is now one-way. More of the roads surrounding the schools are now no parking, which is aimed to make parents use the pickup loop.

Many of the accidents happen when kids are crossing streets to get to parents that are parked, according to Wait. At both schools, the parent pickup loop and bus loop were switched, putting parents further away from most of the student walking traffic.

Wait said last school year there were 27 kids hit in 26 accidents. Two of those students died and 13 of the total accidents happened at middle schools.

Watch Local 6 for more on this story.


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