CHS parking lots need better surveillance (Editorial)
Car accidents and reckless driving within the school parking lots are creating a conflict at Carlisle High School.
More stories from Hannah Westbrook
Backing up into a parking spot instead of parking in can often times help avoid car accidents when leaving the school.
Although Carlisle High School administration tries its best to regulate school parking lots, there are some things out of the authorities’ control. Having reckless, distracted, and hurrying drivers is a conflicts only student drivers can solve.
Senior Dominique Scalia knows first hand the impact of reckless driving within the school parking lot, being a victim of distracted drivers herself.
What makes getting out of the parking lot even harder is the fact that parents are trying to pick up their kids and park in places that make it even more difficult for students to try and leave, thus creating more clutter.
— Lauren Peele, senior
“When I got hit, I was mad. I felt as though driving is a big responsibility and you should be paying attention so you don’t harm yourself or anyone else, but the damages weren’t too bad,” said Scalia. “It wasn’t until I got out of my car and spoke to the girl that I got even more infuriated at how she handled the situation and how careless she was. People need to be more mindful in these situations.”
Not only are people who drive while distracted an issue, but those talking to friends outside of their vehicle. Doing so for long periods of time while people are in the process of leaving the school could easily lead to serious and or fatal accidents. With small social gatherings and speedy drivers in the parking lot, there’s a lot at stake.
However, some students argue that the size of the school parking lots don’t help diminish the possibility of accidents.
“What makes getting out of the parking lot even harder,” said senior Lauren Peele, “is the fact that parents are trying to pick up their kids and park in places that make it even more difficult for students to try and leave, thus creating more clutter.”
Although Carlisle High School offers a variety of parking lots for student drivers, it may simply be not enough for the astounding amount of students with licenses.
Security officers and principals should continue to patrol the parking lots to make sure students are arriving and leaving the school premises safely in their vehicle. Security cameras could be installed to observe student behavior when security guards could not.
Arguably, such reckless behaviors won’t change until disciplinary action is pursued.
Scalia argued that “light” punishments such as detention simply aren’t enough. “Those who behave recklessly should be penalized for at least three days, either ISS or OSS, for unsafe behavior and potentially putting their lives and others in danger.”
If three days OSS can be received as a punishment for using vulgar language, shouldn’t the same punishment (or one more severe) be given for being a safety hazard to other students at Carlisle High School?
In the school parking lot, it is not hard to spot long black tire marks caused from reckless driving and tricks; however it is universally agreed that people’s lives and car accidents, no matter how big or small, are a serious matter. Hopefully in the near future, administration and the student body can do their best to encourage safe driving on, and off the school premises.
Disclaimer: Articles designated as “Editorial” represent the views and opinions of the author, not the 2015-2016 Periscope staff, CHS Administration, or the CHS student body.
Want to help the Herd? Please consider supporting the Periscope program. Your donation will support the student journalists of CHS and allow us to purchase equipment, send students to workshops/camps, and cover our annual website hosting costs.
As the graphics manager and photographer, Hannah Westbrook hopes to apply her skills with art and digital design to the Periscope board of 2015-2016. Additionally,...
Clara Cozort • Sep 28, 2015 at 9:23 am
Carlisle’s parking lot was so over crowded and was so difficult to navigate. You had to get there early enough to get a good parking space or a parking space at all because of how many students drove their cars. Love the idea about penalizing students for reckless behavior!
Sarah Frick • Sep 23, 2015 at 1:27 pm
I agree with what you have to say, especially the fact that endangering other students should certainly have just as severe punishment, if not more so, than a student speaking in foul language. The school parking lot is crowded and being teenagers, most are worried more about getting to where we need to be without consideration of others around them. Thus the school should work to help regulate happenings in the parking lot in order to help save time and people from possible injury.
Maya Puar • Sep 23, 2015 at 11:56 am
I agree that school parking lots are a place where accidents are just waiting to happen. It is awful that just a few reckless drivers out of hundreds can have such a detrimental effect, especially when the majority of the student body is driving safely.
Jamie • Sep 23, 2015 at 8:45 am
the school parking lot is only dangerous when students make it dangerous. there are a select few that mainly park in the back row that enjoy showing off their daddy’s trucks. I have been almost hit multiple times by one individual that always speeds through the parking lot in his pappys truck. it is not that we are all new and inexperienced drivers, it is that there are a FEW careless people that take the responsibility for granted.
Joey Kucker • Sep 22, 2015 at 10:41 pm
The school’s parking lot was awful when I was in school. Putting so many new drivers in a small area is a recipe for disaster.
Bego Sejmenovic • Sep 22, 2015 at 8:28 pm
I agree completely, especially in the very back row where a lot of people stand around and wait for the cars to clear out, people need to be more careful and actually follow the rules
Cooper Snyder • Sep 22, 2015 at 8:07 pm
[edited for content] You are in control of your self. If someone crashes in to you there insurance will “cover most” of the damage to the car. It’s not any drivers fault that insurance companies are curupt. And if they don’t have insurance call the cops it’s as simple as that. One more thing, there is this awsome thing called ride the bus. Beside the fact that there needs to be a boundary between what is safe and not safe. As far as the security guards and cameras go, that’s just a waste of tax dollars. There are plenty of parking spaces way out in the back. But if you have to park close then be patient, or else you are only adding to the “problem”.