Many people who commute to work by car breathe a sigh of relief when the school holidays start. School holidays mean much quieter roads during rush hour, making getting to the office far less stressful, thanks to there being fewer motorists to contend with.
What do the figures say?
According to car insurance specialists Elephant, the average commuter knocks 12 minutes and 7 seconds off his/her morning commute every day as a result of the kids being off school. This adds up to over an hour a week during the school holidays. Add on the time saved during the homeward commute and that’s a decent amount of time to claim back for yourself during these quieter periods.
The Elephant study showed that Londoners save the most time during the school holidays, reducing their morning commute by an average of 16 minutes. Those in Northern Ireland come second at 13 minutes and 30 seconds, while the West Midlands comes third, with drivers saving an average of 12 minutes and 50 seconds.
Road safety outside schools
The Sutton Trust reports that around 20% of traffic on the road during rush hour is school traffic. As such, it’s not surprising that when schools are closed for the holidays, the roads are a lot less busy, while the start of a new school year leads to a sudden surge in congestion.
With so many parents dropping their children off at school at the same time, road safety around these drop off points can be an issue. This is a particular concern if the school is on a main road that commuting drivers also use.
Many schools seek to put preventative measures into place to make the roads safer for everyone. Popular measures include installing CCTV, asking parents to volunteer for parking patrols, and running campaigns to raise awareness. However, one project in South London has come up with a more creative solution to this issue.
Action urgently required
Following twelve collisions over four years outside Richard Atkins Primary School, four of which involved children under 10 years old, it was clear that something needed to be done to make the area safer for pedestrians and drivers.
With the help of the London Borough of Lambeth, cycling and walking charity Sustrans created a shared space style environment. Space was taken from vehicles and given to pedestrians, and a chicane style layout was put in place using planters, trees, and bike stands.
In addition to this, parking spaces were removed, and the speed limit was lowered to 20mph. These measures were put into place to deter drivers from using the road as a cut-through, as it would no longer make their journey quicker.
The changes encouraged a drop in the number of HGVs that use the road, making it far safer and easier for parents and carers to cross the road with their children.
Sometimes, this ‘out of the box’ thinking is what we need in order to tackle issues of road safety, particularly as the school term starts once again. More creative solutions can sometimes be the answer to important safety concerns.
How to have a stress-free school run
If you’re dreading starting the school run again, or commuting to work once the traffic increases in September, there are steps that you can take to make your journeys more bearable. These five top tips should help you to enjoy calmer journeys, at the same time as avoiding aggravating your fellow drivers:
- Don’t speed up behind people at traffic lights and sacrifice your braking distance in the hope of rushing across right behind them before the lights change.
- Try to avoid driving slower than the speed limit, provided safety permits – dawdling can really irritate people who have somewhere to be in a hurry.
- When you finally get to the school car park, make sure that you don’t take up two spaces.
- If you can’t find a parking space, don’t leave your car somewhere illegal where it causes a hazard. Double yellow lines are there for a reason!
- If you have to use the motorway, never hog the middle lane and don’t take slip roads late to avoid the traffic queuing at the exit – cutting in at the last minute is a dangerous practice for you and the drivers around you.
Although the school run can be a hassle, driving safely and considerately means that parents and commuters can share the roads and get to their destinations feeling stress-free.
What impact does school term-time traffic have on your commute? What more can we do to tackle the congestion that the start of a new school year creates? Leave a comment below to let us know your thoughts.
If you live within half a mile of the school or so; walking is the healthiest solution and an effective traffic decongestant. The kids also arrive at school exercised and refreshed for their day’s work.
Many schools or local communities operate the Walking Bus system which provides supervision. If your locality does not have one yet discuss its introduction with your school and local council.
I have two observations:
1) Guardians who park cars inconsiderately/dangerously around schools should receive immediate fines and points on their license. Do they not realise they put the lives of their own children, and other children, in danger?
1) When I went to school it was practically unheard of that kids were dropped off in the car. We went to schools that were in our locality and walked there. Make kid go to their local school rather than giving parents the choice and passing two or three schools to get to the one their kids attend.
Let’s hear the tape again – walk, run, cycle. These methods should be employed by all who live within the catchment area for the school. It may mean getting up earlier and leaving a little earlier (there goes the red rag, here comes the bull maybe). There will of course be exceptions but convenience shouldn’t be one of them. If you still have to drive; park a few hundred yards/metres away, that in itself will reduce the congestion at the school as a radius of 200+ metres from the school should provide more parking space for everyone.
If you live on a road with a school in it, as I do, please ALWAYS reverse onto your driveway. It is always easier to see a child running across in front of your car if you are looking forwards, than if you are looking in your mirror.
You should do it regards of the vicinity of any schools.
Ah ha, another highway code article? I believe it is still illegal to reverse out of a driveway on to the highway. Please correct if this is wrong.
That one is guidance rather than a rule, so it’s not illegal to reverse out, but you can still be penalised for ignoring guidance, if you cause danger to others, so you’re partly right…
I do agree that people should have to keep up to date with the Highway code – it changes!
Put down double red lines for 1/2 mile radius of all schools, the only people allowed to stop would have to have a permit delivery drivers, but tradesmen would have to have permit for set period, length of job.
Personally believe all kids should go on a school bus if not walking or cycling, if on the bus they would all arrive at the same time with no excuse for lateness for classes.
The red lines would ease traffic flow, and the walk, bike, bus would also reduce pollution
The American way.
What I cannot understand why motorways like the m56 become a car park in school time. All these kids that drive
The decrease in traffic in holiday time is actually caused mainly by parents and others being on holiday and therefore not driving to work. I notice that the morning commute is much quieter in holiday time, but the afternoon one is worse as daytrippers return from their outings. The school run drives are a smaller factor in traffic (although still significant, I’m sure).
– Just make all the children walk to school if too far away make them go by bus than walk the rest of the way Lazy parents is the problem they go everywhere by car and think the children must do too
Part laziness (if you live within a mile of school your kids should walk, if you live within 2-3 miles, cycle). And part council policy. I know many parents who put down their nearest school for admissions only for the council to offer them a place further away. Not only that I know parents where siblings attend different schools several miles away.
Also, what’s this obsession with parking practically on the school doorstep? If you are dropping off, drop the sprogs off 0.5 to 1 mile away. The exercise will do them more good. And no, nobody’s going to abduct them on the way. Statistically, you are more likely to kill them through your own driving.
My daughter’s best friend was abducted at the bus stop by the school.
I’m fed up with fat lazy kids, driven in fat cars by fat lazy parents, clogging up the roads like fat in the nation’s arteries. Not only is it very inconvenient for other road users, it is very unhealthy for those poor kids. Shame on you lazy parents! I was never once in my life driven to school . I always walked and sometimes that meant several miles of walking each way. It did me nothing but good.
Paul, please can you be a bit more descriptive.
I have always thought the problem with schools was hardly ever the children but their damn parents!!! Now that I live opposite the back entrance to one I have had this suspicion confirmed.
They drive their precious rug rats when they could walk, they kick up a stink and enforce placement of speed bumps, parking restrictions etc., to keep their precious rug rats safe and then have the audacity to be the very ones causing the mayhem i.e. parking across driveways, across yellow zig zag lines denoting ‘school’, pulling up alongside (double parking almost) whilst their precious cargo is offloaded (often requiring 5 minutes whilst they ensure everything needed is with them).
I also have a driving centre nearby and they use this route 24/7 for their lessons/exams so by the time school holidays start I am ecstatic. Why go on holiday? I am on one due to the peace and quiet!!!
The selfishness of parents knows no bounds in the quest to widen their backsides (and that of their children) whilst shortening the amount of time they perceive as ‘wasted’.
I was driven to my primary school yes, because we lived a fair distance across some very busy roads and mum went off to work afterwards but once I started secondary school…….that was it, chauffeur was taken off mum’s job description and I had to walk everyday, come rain or shine, winter or summer, daylight or darkness. It taught me independence, how to make judgement calls, used my own initiative, take responsibility for my own actions and decisions and allowed me to learn and above all apply common sense!
With H&S nowadays, it’s a surprise any of our children survive to adulthood let alone old age and guess what? The gene pool is getting smaller….God help us all
Seconded.
Don’t do 5mph and dawdle but 25 is ok in 30. Person behind you in a hurry? Why don’t they get up/leave earlier?
“Try to avoid driving slower than the speed limit, provided safety permits”.
I recall, not so long ago, listening to a safety expert say that the speed limit is just that, the limit – not the target. I agree, don’t dawdle but don’t push the limit either.
‘Try to avoid driving slower than the speed limit’ – I hope that was a case of poor wording rather than real advice. The law requires you to drive slower than the speed limit…
I would advocate keeping well below when near schools in the school run traffic (the main reason many people drive their kids in to school is because they feel it’s too dangerous for them to walk these days).
I wonder how many of these accidents they refer to were actually the fault of the motorist? if the pedestrians are at fault should we not be making them responsible for their own safety instead of blaming anyone and everyone else?
Plus.. how about the “guardians” realising that their little angels can actually walk more than a yard to the school.
i could go on..
If you live within half a mile of the school or so; walking is the healthiest solution and an effective traffic decongestant. The kids also arrive at school exercised and refreshed for their day’s work.
Many schools or local communities operate the Walking Bus system which provides supervision. If your locality does not have one yet discuss its introduction with your school and local council.
I have two observations:
1) Guardians who park cars inconsiderately/dangerously around schools should receive immediate fines and points on their license. Do they not realise they put the lives of their own children, and other children, in danger?
1) When I went to school it was practically unheard of that kids were dropped off in the car. We went to schools that were in our locality and walked there. Make kid go to their local school rather than giving parents the choice and passing two or three schools to get to the one their kids attend.
Let’s hear the tape again – walk, run, cycle. These methods should be employed by all who live within the catchment area for the school. It may mean getting up earlier and leaving a little earlier (there goes the red rag, here comes the bull maybe). There will of course be exceptions but convenience shouldn’t be one of them. If you still have to drive; park a few hundred yards/metres away, that in itself will reduce the congestion at the school as a radius of 200+ metres from the school should provide more parking space for everyone.
If you live on a road with a school in it, as I do, please ALWAYS reverse onto your driveway. It is always easier to see a child running across in front of your car if you are looking forwards, than if you are looking in your mirror.
You should do it regards of the vicinity of any schools.
Ah ha, another highway code article? I believe it is still illegal to reverse out of a driveway on to the highway. Please correct if this is wrong.
That one is guidance rather than a rule, so it’s not illegal to reverse out, but you can still be penalised for ignoring guidance, if you cause danger to others, so you’re partly right…
I do agree that people should have to keep up to date with the Highway code – it changes!
Put down double red lines for 1/2 mile radius of all schools, the only people allowed to stop would have to have a permit delivery drivers, but tradesmen would have to have permit for set period, length of job.
Personally believe all kids should go on a school bus if not walking or cycling, if on the bus they would all arrive at the same time with no excuse for lateness for classes.
The red lines would ease traffic flow, and the walk, bike, bus would also reduce pollution
The American way.
What I cannot understand why motorways like the m56 become a car park in school time. All these kids that drive
The decrease in traffic in holiday time is actually caused mainly by parents and others being on holiday and therefore not driving to work. I notice that the morning commute is much quieter in holiday time, but the afternoon one is worse as daytrippers return from their outings. The school run drives are a smaller factor in traffic (although still significant, I’m sure).
– Just make all the children walk to school if too far away make them go by bus than walk the rest of the way Lazy parents is the problem they go everywhere by car and think the children must do too
Part laziness (if you live within a mile of school your kids should walk, if you live within 2-3 miles, cycle). And part council policy. I know many parents who put down their nearest school for admissions only for the council to offer them a place further away. Not only that I know parents where siblings attend different schools several miles away.
Also, what’s this obsession with parking practically on the school doorstep? If you are dropping off, drop the sprogs off 0.5 to 1 mile away. The exercise will do them more good. And no, nobody’s going to abduct them on the way. Statistically, you are more likely to kill them through your own driving.
My daughter’s best friend was abducted at the bus stop by the school.
I’m fed up with fat lazy kids, driven in fat cars by fat lazy parents, clogging up the roads like fat in the nation’s arteries. Not only is it very inconvenient for other road users, it is very unhealthy for those poor kids. Shame on you lazy parents! I was never once in my life driven to school . I always walked and sometimes that meant several miles of walking each way. It did me nothing but good.
Paul, please can you be a bit more descriptive.
I have always thought the problem with schools was hardly ever the children but their damn parents!!! Now that I live opposite the back entrance to one I have had this suspicion confirmed.
They drive their precious rug rats when they could walk, they kick up a stink and enforce placement of speed bumps, parking restrictions etc., to keep their precious rug rats safe and then have the audacity to be the very ones causing the mayhem i.e. parking across driveways, across yellow zig zag lines denoting ‘school’, pulling up alongside (double parking almost) whilst their precious cargo is offloaded (often requiring 5 minutes whilst they ensure everything needed is with them).
I also have a driving centre nearby and they use this route 24/7 for their lessons/exams so by the time school holidays start I am ecstatic. Why go on holiday? I am on one due to the peace and quiet!!!
The selfishness of parents knows no bounds in the quest to widen their backsides (and that of their children) whilst shortening the amount of time they perceive as ‘wasted’.
I was driven to my primary school yes, because we lived a fair distance across some very busy roads and mum went off to work afterwards but once I started secondary school…….that was it, chauffeur was taken off mum’s job description and I had to walk everyday, come rain or shine, winter or summer, daylight or darkness. It taught me independence, how to make judgement calls, used my own initiative, take responsibility for my own actions and decisions and allowed me to learn and above all apply common sense!
With H&S nowadays, it’s a surprise any of our children survive to adulthood let alone old age and guess what? The gene pool is getting smaller….God help us all
Seconded.
Don’t do 5mph and dawdle but 25 is ok in 30. Person behind you in a hurry? Why don’t they get up/leave earlier?
“Try to avoid driving slower than the speed limit, provided safety permits”.
I recall, not so long ago, listening to a safety expert say that the speed limit is just that, the limit – not the target. I agree, don’t dawdle but don’t push the limit either.
‘Try to avoid driving slower than the speed limit’ – I hope that was a case of poor wording rather than real advice. The law requires you to drive slower than the speed limit…
I would advocate keeping well below when near schools in the school run traffic (the main reason many people drive their kids in to school is because they feel it’s too dangerous for them to walk these days).
I wonder how many of these accidents they refer to were actually the fault of the motorist? if the pedestrians are at fault should we not be making them responsible for their own safety instead of blaming anyone and everyone else?
Plus.. how about the “guardians” realising that their little angels can actually walk more than a yard to the school.
i could go on..