Safe Routes to School effort IDs danger spots

Without reading the entire printed story, I have to somewhat disagree with the findings of the Safe Routes to School findings. Yes, there are some dangers to children walking to school but dangerous crosswalks shouldn't pose much of a risk at least in my experience.

For the most part, what I see as a major problem is the fact that children do not pay attention when walking the streets. Just in the last month or so I've seen:

1. Kids sprinting out between parked cars right in front of me. They didn't look and I'm pretty sure these 2 kids did not even know my moving car within 10 feet of them as they continued on their merry way.

2. While stopped in traffic near a school, a kid ran into my car. Was that kid crossing the street actually paying attention when he ran into my car? Absolutely no way.

3. I watched a child stop in the middle of a crosswalk to answer a cell phone. Not dangerous but holding up 3 lanes of traffic to speak on a cell phone probably means this kid really did not have a clue of where she was.

4. I've observed numerous kids walk across a crosswalk without slowing down or stopping to see if "the coast was clear".

While I'm sure we are still teaching our children the proper way to cross roads and how to be careful around moving vehicles, they don't appear to be putting these lessons into practice. If I ever observed my children doing any of the 4 items I listed above, they would hear from me LOUD and CLEAR just how unacceptable their actions were.

I hate to say this but safety is a two way street and if both the drivers and the kids don't pay attention, there is only one loser. I urge all drivers to be more careful while driving around town. I also highly encourage all parents to make sure your kids fully understand all those safety rules they are taught in school and at home.

I somewhat agree with Bondyweb. Over by Subway on Airbase road, I witnessed two boys who pushed the button to cross the street. When the light said so, they walked out into the crosswalk and across the street. I was glad they waited for the light to say they could walk. However, when they reached the other side, they clicked the button again, to cross. I watched and those two boys kept making a square out of the four crosswalks. They just kept pushing the button and walking across over and over around in the four crosswalks.

Drivers can only be so safe until some of the responsibility has to be on the children. I have witnessed teens crossing against the light while "messing around" in the cross walk, also talking on cell phones, not paying attention to what they are doing. I have seen children ride their bikes straight out and not even look. Airbase road is a busy road during the time of day when the children are getting out of school, for sure NOT a time to play around in the crosswalk, not that ANY time ever is.

Parents need to take the time to teach their children the proper ways to cross streets and what is and is not acceptable.