Question: Why is School Traffic Still a Problem? Answer: People Enjoy Their Cars

While traffic involving job commutes and major intersections is sometimes unbearable, billions continue to do so anyway. Many school parking lots are no exception to this rule, the small traffic lane accommodating the hundreds, if not thousands of students in many public schools. Many students (around 70%), however, still drive/are driven to school every day, and that number is greater in the SRVUSD (80-85%), even as alternate transportation is available. Although half of the students* attending the SRVUSD live within 2 miles of their school—which is close enough for many to walk, bike, scooter, etc.— many choose not to: Why? There is one major reason why many people (including me😓) persist with the amount of School Traffic in our schools:

Cars/Private Transportation Gives Us A Sense of Comfortablity and Independence.

While many students and parents believe that cars are the fastest way across the city or to travel to work, sometimes this is not the case. In many circumstances, traffic can get overwhelming and create conditions where even walking can become a quicker alternative. In an article from TheConversation, many people who had these alternative transportation methods "just liked driving." This simple explanation is the basic premise of why people(and our case students) drive. Although other methods of transportation can meet many physical needs, reduce overall school traffic(even by a little bit), and be faster, people enjoy the amount of comfort a car gives by avoiding the elements, allowing peace of privacy and freedom, without the need to have inconveniences associated with other methods of travel. As the article notes many "are unlikely to sacrifice the comfort of the private car for a minor time saving", too, should reconsider the sacrifices that we should make not only to improve school traffic, but our community in general.

*Information based on my School Survey Results taken from the school community and parents in the SRVUSD school district area

Kent, Jennifer. “To Get People out of Cars We Need to Know Why They Drive.” The Conversation, 6 June 2014, theconversation.com/to-get-people-out-of-cars-we-need-to-know-why-they-drive-27279.