Safety is the most important thing at GHS, so what would make the parking lot safer?

According to IIHS.org, teenage drivers are linked to 7% of all crashes, half of which are caused by distraction. When asked about the GHS high school parking lot, most students said they felt unsafe while driving in it.

With kids walking and people in cars finding a parking space, the parking lot can get crowded extremely fast and become a stressful environment for young drivers. “While I’m finding a spot to park, I also have to worry that someone may walk in front of my car”, junior Ja’nessa Wheatley said. “I dread having to park”.

While most drivers have never been in an accident, some have been close. “While backing out of my spot, someone didn’t see my car and almost hit me”, sophomore Adam Cano said. “If I hadn’t stopped, I would have been hit”.

Some students think some things should change. “People in the parking lot can’t park,” Cano said. “I think that if we had bigger parking spots, it would be a lot safer.”

Wheatley said, “I think we should have assigned parking because I can never find a spot and a designated path for students to walk.”

Dan Young, Director of Safety and Security at GHS, and Corporal Pete Ghrist believe more cameras should be put up in the parking lot. Young said, “We’re working on getting license plate readers around the school to see who enters our property”.

Ghrist addressed the accident rate in the parking lot. “There were about 1 to 2 accidents last year,” he said.

Young and Ghrist discussed the precautions that they take to ensure drivers’ safety. “We call home to make sure the student has insurance and do all the necessary things to make sure the student is legally able to drive.”

So, while this may resolve some problems, accidents happen whether people are driving safely or not. The best solution to stop accidents is to stay vigilant as both drivers and pedestrians.