If you care about child safety you will sign this petition. In a personal experience that has shaped my perspective significantly, my daughter and I were involved in a devastating car accident while pulling into Mariner High School in Cape Coral, FL. The driver that hit us was driving at a speed of 50 miles per hour, causing a multiple-car collision. As a result of this accident, my daughter suffered a concussion and bruises, and I personally sustained a broken leg and was even impaled with a car part in my abdomen. It is my firm belief that this incident would not have happened, or evidence less severity if there had been a reduced speed school zone in this area. I ignorantly thought all schools had reduced speed school zones. I know North Fort Myers high School has one so I was baffled as to why this school does not.Traffic has increased exponentially due to recent growth in Cape Coral and yet there have no changes to the infrastructure in front of the school or reduced speed limit signs to get people to slow down. There is already a school zone light system setup by the school because they are next to a middle school which uses it. I think it would be simple enough for Mariner high to use it as well for drop off and pick up. During drop off it is very dark and dimly lit and with so many cars and kids on foot, it just makes sense to apply this extra safety feature. I believe all schools should have a reduced speed zone for drop off and pick up.

Unfortunately, we are not the only ones who have found the speeds on these roads concerning. Mariner high school, like many other schools, has seen its fair share of accidents, underscoring the need for urgent action. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in 2019 across the USA, there were 98,000 accidents in school zones resulting in 115 fatalities and 21,000 injuries. These numbers are not just statistics; they are children and parents whose lives are disrupted. However, the NHTSA also states that there's a significant drop in fatalities and injuries in school zones where speed limits are enforced.

I, therefore, urge the relevant authorities to impose a reduced school zone speed limit near Mariner High School. This initiative is not just about slowing down cars; it's about ensuring the safety of our children and local residents. Implemented correctly and urgently, a lower speed limit can save lives- maybe even your own or that of your cherished ones. Let's make our school zones safer for everyone. Please sign this petition and join me in making our roads safer.