Harris County Receives Failing Grade For Dangerous School Zones

Although schools are considered a safe place for kids, the reality is school zones present a considerable danger to students. Despite texting bans and lower maximum speed limits in school zones, many auto pedestrian accidents occur in school zones each year and Harris County has some of the most dangerous school zones in Texas.

Data collected from drivers nationwide looked at 75,000 schools and more than 3.4 billion miles driven. In Harris County, data from 1,066 school zones was analyzed and each school zone was given a letter grade for overall safety. Harris County received a failing grade, and Trinity Downtown Lutheran Church and School located downtown was named the most dangerous school zone in the entire country. Other dangerous schools that received failing grades for school zone safety in Harris County include Briargrove Elementary, Spring Branch Middle School, Tanglewood Middle School, and Memorial High School.

What Makes A School Zone Dangerous?

The most dangerous factor contributing to auto pedestrian accidents is distracted driving. While cell phones are by far the most common distraction in the car, simple things like changing the radio station or talking to a passenger can also distract drivers. Many auto pedestrian accidents in school zones are caused by dangerous drop-off and pick-up behavior.

Anytime young children and cars are in close proximity to each other, there is a potential for catastrophic car accidents. Parents that drop off and pick of their kids from school need to avoid dangerous driving behaviors like speeding, not using blinkers, and not coming to a complete stop at stop signs and crosswalks.

Because young children are less familiar with traffic rules, they are particularly vulnerable to traffic accidents. When driving in school zones, all drivers need to stay alert and avoid all distractions.