10 Steps to a Safer School Parking Lot

School safety begins before you walk in the door. Our products guarantee to organize the traffic flow and parking areas of your school for maximum safety and security. Keep both drivers and pedestrians safe by securing your parking lot and developing drop-off and pick-up protocols.

Check out our impacts of signs on parking lot design guide.

  1. IDENTIFY PICKUP AND DROP OFF ZONES

Designate and label specific areas for student drop off and pick up, and make sure that students and parents are aware of the procedures. You can do this by using proper signage and communicating expectations to parents and students regularly through email, newsletters and school websites.

  1. CONTROL THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC

Most parking lots are hectic, but school parking lots are usually even more so because of all the students and vehicles moving through them. Mount traffic control signs and use portable barricades and cones during peak activity times to keep traffic moving in a safe and orderly fashion.

  1. DISCOURAGE SPEED DEMONS

Speeding endangers lives in a school parking lot. Install speed bumps at frequent intervals to force drivers to drive at safe speeds while on school grounds.

  1. ASSIGN PARKING SPACES

Both drivers and pedestrians will be able to navigate your school’s parking lot more efficiently if there are certain spaces reserved for faculty and students as well as ones meant for visitors. As an added safety measure, consider giving out parking permits to visitors.

  1. EQUIP YOUR CROSSING GUARDS

Crossing guards are in charge of helping children stay safe, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t stay safe themselves! Equip your school crossing guards with handheld signs, paddles, pedestrian crossing signs and even highly-visible safety vests.

  1. RESTRICT PARKING IN SOME AREAS

Dedicating certain areas in your lot to be parking-free will significantly help the flow of traffic. Post “No Parking” signs in areas like these so there’s no confusion among drivers.

  1. PREVENT ENTRY INTO RESTRICTED ZONES

After you’ve decided on which areas are off limits, make sure you do your best to prevent drivers from gaining access to them. Utilize parking cones or delineators to cordon off restricted areas efficiently

  1. MARK BUS LANES

Use signs, parking lot stencils and more to clearly label the zones reserved exclusively for school buses. Doing so will help facilitate the quick loading and unloading of students each morning and afternoon.

  1. ESTABLISH BOUNDARIES

The more drivers and pedestrians know where they should and shouldn’t be, the easier it will be to maintain order in your parking lot. Use a striping machine to paint – or re-paint – safety lines that help individuals navigate the lot.

  1. DECIDE WHO WILL FOLLOW UP ON UNSAFE BEHAVIOR

Decide in advance if a school staff member or law enforcement officer will follow up on unsafe behavior. Providing immediate feedback to students, parents or staff who violate policy is the best way to ensure it does not happen again.

Fast Fact
One in five automobile accidents occurs in a parking lot, according to the Independent Insurance Agents and Brokers Association

Your Partner in Safety & Security

Remember: Education is essential to ensure your school safety message is understood. Take the time to communicate with students, parents and staff so that everyone is on the same page when it comes to your school’s parking lot safety. Take advantage of school assemblies, afterschool meetings and even printed material to help get your message out to its intended audience.

Call your School Safety Specialist at 800-243-6624 or visit Seton.com today