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We dedicate our mission and work 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
                              25 MPH on residential streets is an unsafe speed

We should drive slowly and 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 a safe speed on residential streets where cars park 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 within one car length It is common for children to unexpectedly bolt into the street from behind parked cars. Thus, we shouldn’t be surprised when it happens, rather we should expect it and drive at a speed that will allow us to stop safely.

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. It’s a verified speed at which one does not have control of a vehicle to stop safely if a child bolts into the street. 

Do a safe-stop test: The next time you drive 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 are 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 an inquiry beyond the police officer’s investigation, such as a non-political inquiry board comprised of civilians. The purpose of the inquiry would be to find out how the accident could have been avoided. We believe that we need to treat child-pedestrian accidents with more sensitivity, a preventative approach, and with a new perspective.

A child hit by a vehicle traveling 25 MPH will usually be seriously injured or even killed. Therefore, when you are traveling 25 MPH on a residential street and your vision is blocked by parked cars, you are playing Russian roulette with the life of a child. It's that simple. Is that what you want to do?--- Of course not! OK, then drive 15 MPH and you might save the life of a child, and by your example you may even save the life of your own child. We take the position that you will be driving without regard for the safety of children if you drive at a speed greater than 15 MPH in school zones, where children are playing, on residential streets, where children are riding bikes, or where you see children waiting to cross the street.

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The greatest gift we can give parents is to bring their children home safely
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Since this traffic light is at the school bus entrance to the school and students cross at this intersection to go to the Shop n Save, we want the Greensburg Salem School Board to request the City to make this intersection safer.

Below, Greensburg Salem High School students cross North Main Street to go to Shop ‘n Save.

  -No crosswalks.   Walk button on wrong side of pole.   Traffic light conflicts with walk signal.

The Intersection of North Main Street and Locust Valley Road is a dangerous crossing for Greensburg Salem High School students and other pedestrians who cross this busy street to go to Shop n Save.  If this intersection is not made more pedestrian-friendly, we predict a pedestrian fatality at this crossing. The City and the School Board shouldn’t wait for the pedestrian fatality to make the crossing safer.

Traffic travels through this intersection at unsafe speeds.  Using RADAR, Slow Down For Children has timed cars traveling at speeds up to 50 MPH through this intersection.  Adding to the hazard, the push button for the “WALK” signal can’t be seen from the walk where pedestrians cross the street. Moreover, when pedestrians get the “Walk” signal, vehicles have a green light to make left and right turns while pedestrians are crossing. As it is, the “walk signal” tells pedestrians to cross the street and at the same time the light is tells cars to make left and right turns into the pedestrians. Making matters even worse, there is no painted crosswalk for pedestrians or even signs to warn motorists of a pedestrian crossing. To make this intersection safer for pedestrians, we submit the following:

1.  Relocate the “Walk” button so pedestrians can see it from the walkway.
2.  Post a larger sign at the “Walk” button to remind pedestrians to press the “WALK” button.
3.  Asphalt the walkway from Old Salem Road to a highly visible crosswalk painted on Main Street.
4.  Paint a crosswalk on Main Street from the walkway to the other side of Main Street.
5.  Post “Slow Down Pedestrian Crossing Ahead” signs, North and South of the Intersection.
6.  Post “Pedestrian Crossing” signs on both sides of the crosswalk.
7.  Adjust the traffic signals so all traffic stops (red light) when pedestrians have a “Walk” signal.
8.  Reduce the speed limit to 25 MPH and strictly enforce it.

Telephone numbers and people to call about this: Chief Walter Lyons 724-838-4312, Mayor Karl Eisaman 724-724-838-4325, City of Greensburg administrator Sue Trout 724-838-4323, Uniontown PENNDOT traffic engineer James Vasiloff 724-439-7315.

April 30, 2008.  Published by Slow Down For Children, Inc., 50 McLaughlin Drive, Greensburg PA 15601. Please email your concerns and comments to r.koveleskie@comcast.net  The School Zone Reporter is available at certain stores throughout the City of Greensburg. Let us know if you want to be a pick-up point for the Reporter. Also, we need and appreciate any affordable contributions to help with expenses of publishing and distribution.