Three days after students in the Boise School District returned to school, the Boise Police Department on Thursday wanted to simulate conditions at local elementary schools and show why it's important for motorists to slow down in school zones.
Officer Kyle Wills put me behind the wheel of a four-door sedan in the police department's parking lot and asked me to step on the pedal to get up to 35 mph. He pointed out an officer standing in the distance holding an orange crossing-guard flag. He told me to slam on the brakes when that officer waved the flag.
Two-thirds of the way through, I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. I wasn't anywhere near the officer holding the flag, but I was concerned by the movement, so I slammed on the brakes.
The car reacted as many cars would when they haven't had their brake pads replaced recently. The brakes slowed the car, but the vehicle didn't stop on a dime — or even on 25 Sacajawea dollars.
The movement I witnessed was a paper depiction of a young child, pulled into my path by an officer hidden behind an SUV and yanking ropes. It was meant to simulate a youngster coming out from behind a parked car without paying attention to the surroundings.
I tried to visualize some of the schools I have driven past and the myriad activities taking place. There may be students walking along the sidewalk or waiting at a crosswalk, parents driving to drop off or pick up their children, or errant balls rolling into the street.
I was going only 30 when the paper child ran in front of me, so I had a little more time to react than if I had been going 35. Still, Wills said I reacted faster than reporters for other news organizations who had gone through the same exercise earlier in the day. (Take that, you TV stations.) But even then, I struck the child.
I went through the exercise again, this time going 20 miles per hour. The slower speed allowed me to stop several feet in front of the test dummy and without slamming on the brakes.
"At 20 mph, you could stop in almost any situation," Wills said. "You could have almost rolled to a stop."
The average car can take half as far to stop at 20 mph than it would if going 35, Boise police pointed out.
"No one ever wants to be in a situation where they hit a child - or anyone, for that matter," Wills said.
Children don't always understand the danger they put themselves in, and they act differently than adults, he said.
"We know that kids are unpredictable, and as drivers we have to be aware of that," he said.
The speed limit in school zones is 20 mph. Most school zones in Boise are marked with yellow lights that flash when that limit is in effect during school hours. Some school zones have signs posted listing the hours when the 20 mph limit must be observed.
Last year, Boise police issued 85 citations for speeding in a school zone. So far in 2014, 26 tickets have been written. The fine is $151.50.
Thursday's demonstration reminded me of a similar but real-life situation I faced years ago.
I was driving west on State Street in Boise and stopped at the red light at North 27th Street. The light turned green. A child on a bicycle pulled out onto State from 27th on my right. I slammed on the brakes. I narrowly avoided hitting the boy.
Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2014/08/29/3346829/school-zone-test-in-boise-proves.html#storylink=cpy
Officer Kyle Wills put me behind the wheel of a four-door sedan in the police department's parking lot and asked me to step on the pedal to get up to 35 mph. He pointed out an officer standing in the distance holding an orange crossing-guard flag. He told me to slam on the brakes when that officer waved the flag.
Two-thirds of the way through, I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. I wasn't anywhere near the officer holding the flag, but I was concerned by the movement, so I slammed on the brakes.
The car reacted as many cars would when they haven't had their brake pads replaced recently. The brakes slowed the car, but the vehicle didn't stop on a dime — or even on 25 Sacajawea dollars.
The movement I witnessed was a paper depiction of a young child, pulled into my path by an officer hidden behind an SUV and yanking ropes. It was meant to simulate a youngster coming out from behind a parked car without paying attention to the surroundings.
I tried to visualize some of the schools I have driven past and the myriad activities taking place. There may be students walking along the sidewalk or waiting at a crosswalk, parents driving to drop off or pick up their children, or errant balls rolling into the street.
I was going only 30 when the paper child ran in front of me, so I had a little more time to react than if I had been going 35. Still, Wills said I reacted faster than reporters for other news organizations who had gone through the same exercise earlier in the day. (Take that, you TV stations.) But even then, I struck the child.
I went through the exercise again, this time going 20 miles per hour. The slower speed allowed me to stop several feet in front of the test dummy and without slamming on the brakes.
"At 20 mph, you could stop in almost any situation," Wills said. "You could have almost rolled to a stop."
The average car can take half as far to stop at 20 mph than it would if going 35, Boise police pointed out.
"No one ever wants to be in a situation where they hit a child - or anyone, for that matter," Wills said.
Children don't always understand the danger they put themselves in, and they act differently than adults, he said.
"We know that kids are unpredictable, and as drivers we have to be aware of that," he said.
The speed limit in school zones is 20 mph. Most school zones in Boise are marked with yellow lights that flash when that limit is in effect during school hours. Some school zones have signs posted listing the hours when the 20 mph limit must be observed.
Last year, Boise police issued 85 citations for speeding in a school zone. So far in 2014, 26 tickets have been written. The fine is $151.50.
Thursday's demonstration reminded me of a similar but real-life situation I faced years ago.
I was driving west on State Street in Boise and stopped at the red light at North 27th Street. The light turned green. A child on a bicycle pulled out onto State from 27th on my right. I slammed on the brakes. I narrowly avoided hitting the boy.
Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2014/08/29/3346829/school-zone-test-in-boise-proves.html#storylink=cpy
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