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We dedicate our work and mission to the memory of Kristy Leonard  who died after being struck by a car, on October 17, 2000, while waiting for a school bus in Hempfield Township. Kristy was a student at Harrold Middle School.       
                        
Let's work to make children safer and never say we have done enough 

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Our mission is to save the lives of children. We monitor school zones, play zones, playgrounds, residential streets, school bus stops, streets adjacent to playgrounds, streets where school buses pick-up and drop-off children. We will also investigate complaints about unsafe conditions that we receive from parents. We report our findings to the City of Greensburg, the School Board, and the public and make our suggestions with hopes of making our community safer for children.
   

SPRING IS HERE and KIDS ARE OUT AND ABOUT

 

Are cars speeding on your street? If they are, here are five important reasons to take action against them. 1. Speeders and children on the same street are a situation begging for a fatal child-pedestrian accident. 2. Your child is not exempt. Speeders make no exception for their victims. 3. It will only get worse because speeding is of a viral nature and begets more speeding. 4. Speeding on your street reduces the value of your home. 5. Speeding will eventually attract undesirables to your street.

Be extra alert when driving on residential streets. Children often bolt from between cars. We ran some tests on stopping distance to get an idea of what is a safe speed on residential streets with cars parked at the curb and in driveways. We found that at a speed of 25 MPH we were unable to stop safely, if a child bolted from behind a parked car. At 15 MPH we were able to stop safely. It’s common for children to unexpectedly bolt into the street from behind parked cars. Thus, you shouldn’t be surprised when they do, rather you should expect it and drive at a speed that will allow you to stop safely. For this reason we believe that a 25 MPH speed limit on residential streets is a law that gives motorists a license to travel at an unsafe speed and endanger the lives of children.  When driving on a residential street, ask yourself, “Will I be able to stop safely if a child bolts into the street from behind a parked car.” If not, you’re driving too fast for conditions and you are putting the lives of children at risk.

The typical responses motorists give when they hit a child are: “I didn’t see the child.”  “The child should not have run out into the street.” “Where were the parents?”  “I wasn’t speeding.” Do you know anyone who has hit a child and admits fault?  Police reports invariably indicate, “No charges were filed against the operator.” In our view, when a child is hit by a car, regardless of the circumstance, there should be a civilian inquiry in addition to the police officer’s investigation. The purpose of the inquiry would be to find out how the accident could have been avoided. We need to treat child-pedestrian accidents with a focused-preventative approach having a sensitive perspective that takes into consideration their size, lack of awareness, experience, and judgment. For example a child crossing the street does not have the experience of an adult to estimate the speed of a car. And while an adult is looking over the hood of a car a child is looking into the wheel. Therefore, traffic Investigators, engineers, and managers should include these factors in their model when investigating, planning and managing traffic.

Speeding is relative. When you are traveling 25 MPH on a residential street and your vision is blocked by parked cars—you are speeding, You are playing Russian roulette with the life of a child. We ask, is it so important to get where you are going, 20 seconds sooner, that you’re willing to risk the life of a child? If you hit a child and you are traveling 25 MPH—the speed limit on a residential street--the child will usually be seriously injured or even killed. Starting today, please be more aware of your speed on residential streets.

Always drive with regard to the safety of children. We take the position that driving at a speed greater than 15 MPH in school zones; where children are playing; on a residential street; where children are riding bikes; or where children are waiting to cross the street; is driving without regard for children. If this is the nature of your driving--stop it--before you kill a child.

Finally, if cars are speeding on your street you need to take action to stop the speeding—NOW!  Don’t wait for your child to be hit by a car before you do. The nice weather is getting your children fired up to go outside. Speeders make no exception for their victims, so don’t be foolish to think that you are above getting that terrible call from the hospital emergency room. Take time to talk with your neighbors about getting a group together from your street to meet with the City to resolve the speeding. You have the most important reason in the world to do it and the City should be eager to meet with you. Talk with your neighbors today.

 Robert T. Koveleskie
President