Please click on any question below in which you are interested. It will take you directly to the answer.

Questions

1. Is there really a problem with student pedestrian safety around schools?
   
   
2. What if our school does not have the funds to pay for the school traffic safety solution services?
   
   
3. Our school is facing a budget crisis. Shouldn't we focus on priorities other than school traffic safety?
   
   
4. In which schools is U&R implementing its school traffic safety solution services?
   
   
5. Can U&R really get the school district administrators, school principal, the city and parents to agree on a plan? We have been trying to reach such agreement unsuccessfully for years.
   
   
6. How long does it take to complete the entire 9-step planning process?
   
   
7. Why is U&R offering free presentations on school traffic safety?
   
   
8. Why is it essential that a civil engineer specializing in creative school traffic safety solutions leads the project?
   
   
9. Can parents and neighbors give input?
   
   
10. What if our school already has a proposed school traffic safety plan, yet we want a second opinion?
    
    
11. Shouldn't we encourage children to walk or ride their bikes to school?

Answers

1. Q: Is there really a problem with student pedestrian safety around schools?
   A: Each year in California, cars kill about 20 child pedestrians during school commute times. Many more students are seriously hurt. (Source: California Association of School Transportation Officials.)
   
   
2. Q: What if our school does not have the funds to pay for the school traffic safety solution services?
   A: U&R's President Frank Rosenblum gives a presentation to architectural firms, school groups and others on "Keeping Student Pedestrians Safer by Re-engineering School Drop-Off Zones." He dedicates a section to explaining funding sources for school traffic safety solution services. Additionally, many school districts have found that developing a plan and budget puts them in a strong position for obtaining funds.
   
   
3. Q: Our school is facing a budget crisis. Shouldn't we focus on priorities other than school traffic safety?
   A: Unfortunately, times are tough. But what is more important than protecting the lives of children?
   
   Also, in 2003 the California Court of Appeals held a school district partially accountable in the amount of $2 million. This was for bodily harm of a student hit by a vehicle in a crosswalk off school property that the district knew was unsafe. (Joyce v. Simi Valley Unified School District, press release from Lozano Smith, Attorneys at Law). If your school cannot afford to make entering school property safer for students, how could they afford to loose a lawsuit such as this one?
   
   
4. Q: In which schools is U&R implementing its school traffic safety solution services?
   A: The following is a partial list:
   
   · Fremont Unified School District, throughout the district
   · Franklin-McKinley School District in San Jose
   · San Juan Unified, Sacramento county
   
   
5. Q: Can U&R really get the school district administrators, school principal, the city and parents to agree on a plan? We have been trying unsuccessfully for years.
   A: In most cases, we have been able to generate consensus quickly among these various groups.
   
   
6. Q: How long does it take to complete the entire 9-step planning process?
   A: Typically, U&R takes about 9 weeks; occasionally longer.
   
   
7. Q: Why is U&R offering free presentations on school traffic safety?
   A: Tragic news stories about children who were killed or seriously hurt by cars near school pulled at the heartstrings of U&R's President Frank Rosenblum for years. He also watched with frustration as various groups tried unsuccessfully to come to agreement on a solution. In response, he decided to study the issue extensively and come up with a solution. His 9-Step School Traffic Safety Solution has worked successfully in a variety of school districts. He now wants to continue giving presentations to dramatically reduce the likelihood that traffic tragedies will happen in other schools.
   
   
8. Q: Why is it essential that a civil engineer specializing in creative school traffic safety solutions leads the project?
   A: To ensure the following:
   · Increase safety of children walking to school, making them more likely to do so
   · Recommend an excellent solution, given the available land and school funds
   · Give buses room to turn in driveways without wasting space
   · Meet various city, state and federal requirements
   · Design changes that will make the final construction the most cost-effective
   · Reduce dramatically the likelihood that a child will be hit by a vehicle at school
   
   
9. Q: Can parents and neighbors give input?
   A: Parents and neighbors can offer excellent insights. Sometimes they even have sketched out plans. Unfortunately, some well-intended efforts by parents have actually made schools more dangerous for children. During the 9-step process, we review parents' ideas, see whether they will work from an engineering standpoint and if needed, suggest alternative plans.
   
   
10. Q: What if our school already has a proposed school traffic safety plan, yet we want a second opinion?
    A: For proposed school traffic safety plans that others developed, U&R provides a "peer review" service. We will give feedback and recommend improvements after reviewing proposed plans.
    
    
11. Q: Shouldn't we encourage children to walk or ride their bikes to school?
    A: Yes, as long as they will be safe. In reality, many children live too far from school to walk or ride their bikes. Currently, most children are driven to school. It is often unsafe for children to walk to school because they need to walk through dangerous traffic and parking lots to arrive at class.
    U&R's 9-Step solution makes it safer for children to walk to school, thereby encouraging it.