Help Bentonville School Zones Become Safe Again
GOAL:
To inform the public driving through School Zones when the slower speed limits in the zones are active, and apprehending and issuing hefty traffic fines to those that don't adhere to the speed limits.
PROBLEM:
The wording on the current Speed Limit Signs state that they are active "When Children are Present". This leaves the time of day when the lower speed limits are in effect open to interpretation. Legally, the specific times of day when a School Zone is active should be clearly displayed- these times are not visible anywhere. To make matters even more confusing the active school zone times are different for each school, according to the clerk at the Bentonville Police Department.
In addition, the Bentonville Police Department has been neglecting their responsibility to enforce lower speed limits in active School Zones. I have gone to the Bentonville Police Department a number of times to speak with Chief Allen and beg him to tell me how I could help make a change that would insure the safety of all school children, as well as my own. He said he would get back with me, but has not to this date. He did station a few police cars in active School Zones for a short time after each of our conversations. But after 4 years driving in my City's active School Zone, I have never seen even one traffic stop for a speeding vehicle. I do see cars speeding by the stationary police presence, with no response from the police officer in the car stationed at the active School Zone.
Why would the Bentonville Police Department choose not to write traffic tickets? I was informed by one officer that they don't collect enough money to make it worthwhile and that the State of Arkansas gets the bulk of the fine! I am sure cost is an issue for a city in these hard times, but how much is the life of one child worth? My children are priceless! What about your child?
Recently, I had a Bentonville School Bus going to the High School pass me on HWY 102 in front of Mary Mae Jones Elementary going 45 miles per hour. The bus driver had to change lanes to pass me! I called Bentonville School District Transportation Department, and the supervisor there took my observation very seriously. We need for the Police Department to do the same!
SOLUTIONS:
The solutions may not seem clear since the problem has ignored for so long, but there ARE good solutions to help slow down traffic. Best of all would be flashing yellow lights on the School Zone signs to indicate when the School Zone was active, AND Police enforcement of the posted speed limits. This is probably the most expensive option and will take planning by the city and school district to implement.
But we could start with something simple and more inexpensive:
Paint stripes and "SCHOOL ZONE 25 MPH" on the street marking the beginning and end of the School Zone. Add small signs to both sides of School Speed Sign posts that would state the times that the School Zone is active, with one side stating "ENTERING SCHOOL ZONE" and the other side stating "END SCHOOL ZONE". And ask the Police to enforce the speed limit in active school zones. Sometimes all it takes is a policeman with a radar gun standing by a speed limit sign to make drivers check their speed and SLOW DOWN.
Shouldn't safety be our real goal?
GOAL:
To inform the public driving through School Zones when the slower speed limits in the zones are active, and apprehending and issuing hefty traffic fines to those that don't adhere to the speed limits.
PROBLEM:
The wording on the current Speed Limit Signs state that they are active "When Children are Present". This leaves the time of day when the lower speed limits are in effect open to interpretation. Legally, the specific times of day when a School Zone is active should be clearly displayed- these times are not visible anywhere. To make matters even more confusing the active school zone times are different for each school, according to the clerk at the Bentonville Police Department.
In addition, the Bentonville Police Department has been neglecting their responsibility to enforce lower speed limits in active School Zones. I have gone to the Bentonville Police Department a number of times to speak with Chief Allen and beg him to tell me how I could help make a change that would insure the safety of all school children, as well as my own. He said he would get back with me, but has not to this date. He did station a few police cars in active School Zones for a short time after each of our conversations. But after 4 years driving in my City's active School Zone, I have never seen even one traffic stop for a speeding vehicle. I do see cars speeding by the stationary police presence, with no response from the police officer in the car stationed at the active School Zone.
Why would the Bentonville Police Department choose not to write traffic tickets? I was informed by one officer that they don't collect enough money to make it worthwhile and that the State of Arkansas gets the bulk of the fine! I am sure cost is an issue for a city in these hard times, but how much is the life of one child worth? My children are priceless! What about your child?
Recently, I had a Bentonville School Bus going to the High School pass me on HWY 102 in front of Mary Mae Jones Elementary going 45 miles per hour. The bus driver had to change lanes to pass me! I called Bentonville School District Transportation Department, and the supervisor there took my observation very seriously. We need for the Police Department to do the same!
SOLUTIONS:
The solutions may not seem clear since the problem has ignored for so long, but there ARE good solutions to help slow down traffic. Best of all would be flashing yellow lights on the School Zone signs to indicate when the School Zone was active, AND Police enforcement of the posted speed limits. This is probably the most expensive option and will take planning by the city and school district to implement.
But we could start with something simple and more inexpensive:
Paint stripes and "SCHOOL ZONE 25 MPH" on the street marking the beginning and end of the School Zone. Add small signs to both sides of School Speed Sign posts that would state the times that the School Zone is active, with one side stating "ENTERING SCHOOL ZONE" and the other side stating "END SCHOOL ZONE". And ask the Police to enforce the speed limit in active school zones. Sometimes all it takes is a policeman with a radar gun standing by a speed limit sign to make drivers check their speed and SLOW DOWN.
Shouldn't safety be our real goal?
I found this petition searching for tips on how I can take action and start my own petition. My goal is to get volunteers to cross the students and to enforce a safer school zone. Today marked the first day in my life, that i witnessed a child being hit by a car. Thankfully she only sufferd from a broken leg. I keep thinking how this could have been worst. The thing that makes me even more mad about this incident is that the police officers allowed the 21 yro driver who hit her, to leave with out a citation or anything. So this is my reason for signing this petition. I plan to start my own very soon.
This is really bad on 14th st. in front of Mary Mae Jones Elementary. The posted speed limit there is 45 except "when children are present". The typical driver does 45-55 through there on a regular basis no matter what time it is. If the police would write tickets in this zone once a week, every week, the impact would last ALL week. I have also talked to several police officers about this zone and was told "there is no safe place to sit and radar". I personally have gotten a ticket on 540 where the officer that hit me with radar was literally a half mile away, so that opens up the ability to sit AT the police station to radar, then radio another officer to make the stop. I for one don't want to wait until a child is hit before it gets attention. The decision to build a school on the fastest AND busiest street in town wasn't the brightest, but now that it's there, the police need to step up and do their job of protecting those students that attend it.
Most other cities I've lived in have flashing yellow lights during the zone times. Seems pretty simple and effective.
Help us protect our children in and around our schools. Speeding in this city has become a norm and needs to be place under control before more people get hurt or killed. Tell your city officials to act now. If they try to say they don't have the money, ask them how much they need and we will get it for them through private donations.
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