Recently we have observed an increased number of vehicles stopping and letting students out on Olive Street where traffic signs prohibit student drop off/pick up. Please review the following letter from AHPD Officer Veenstra which was shared originally on Feb. 3, 2017.
School Traffic Safety
Dear Parents,
On behalf of the Arlington Heights Police Department and Arlington Heights Schools here are a couple of safety reminders that will keep traffic moving efficiently and more importantly keep our students safe. I have been out to several schools in the past couple of years and observed a few traffic safety issues.
1. Pull up your vehicles as far as you possibly can to drop off your students, allowing the cars
behind you room to drop off their students.
2. Don’t double-park to drop off your kids, and make sure your students get out of the car on the
curbside.
3. If you’re getting out of your car and walking with your students, please don’t park and leave
your car in the drop off area.
4. Students who walk to school, should be crossing the street in the crosswalk, and when that isn’t possible they should be crossing at an intersection with traffic control signs or signals.
5. Obey all traffic signs on and around school property.
Inclement weather is always a challenge when it comes to traffic safety. Traffic Complaints to the Police Department and the schools multiply when we have rain, snow, or cold temperatures. Patience is required during cold, snowy or rainy days, as the times for drop off and pick up will increase. Please allow yourself time to get to work or your next destination safely. Make an attempt to get your student to school early, as this will decrease traffic around the building. Driver’s vision can be decreased due to a number of factors, such as icy windshields and defective wiper blades. Slippery roadways can also add to driver anxiety.
While monitoring traffic at Olive I have noticed several parents get out of their cars and start walking towards the school building from the pick-up/drop-off area on Olive Street. Further west on Olive Street is the bus drop-off/pick-up area and signs are posted. This isn’t an area for drop- off/pick-up of your students. These areas have posted signs, and tickets may be issued. I hope every parent will take a moment to reflect on what we all can do to keep our kids safe.
Thanks for your cooperation!
Officer Veenstra School Resource Officer Arlington Heights Police Department
