Why is drop-off and pick-up so important?

We a a good drop-off this AM at King. There are a couple reminders at the bottom of this communication.

Someone asked me recently, "why it is so important for the King Community to be careful during drop-off and pick-up?"

The main reason is we all want our kids to be safe, but there is more to the story. Here is some information shared with me by some of our King parents:

Pedestrian injury remains the second leading cause of unintentional injury-related death among children ages 5 to 14. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 583 child pedestrians were killed in 2004; 70% of these deaths were a result of an incident with a motor vehicle. In addition, more than 33,571 children were treated in emergency rooms in 2005 for pedestrian related injuries.

A disproportionate number of the injuries sustained by child pedestrians are severe.
Children are particularly vulnerable to pedestrian death because they are exposed to traffic threats that exceed their cognitive, developmental, behavioral, physical and sensory abilities. This is exacerbated by the fact that parents often overestimate their children’s pedestrian skills. Children are impulsive and have difficulty judging speed, spatial relations, and distance. Auditory and visual acuity, depth perception and proper scanning ability develop gradually and do not fully mature until at least age 10.

These statistics can be scary, but they should also serve as a reminder to all of us to slow down and act safely in and around King School.

Reminders:

1. There are two drop-off zones at King. Use both of them. If the first is filled, drive in the left lane to the second. On the map below, the drop-off zones are labeled as "load/unload."
2. There is no parking in the front of King School. Parking can be done in the King parking lot and on Waldenwood Drive where appropriate.
   
3. I appreciate everyone's attention to safety during morning and afternoon transitions. Many, many parents have commented positively on how things are going. Let's keep it up!
4. Last, thanks to those families that walk to King School and help to alleviate driveway congestion.
   

Thanks and have a great day!
Kevin