We, the undersigned, call upon our city and state officials to reduce speed limits in all school zones and implement additional traffic-calming measures to ensure the safety of children, families and pedestrians.

Every day, young students walk, bike or are driven to and from school, and they deserve to arrive and depart free from the risk of a high-speed collision. Current speed limits and roadway designs in many school zones simply do not reflect the vulnerabilities of children and the real risks when a vehicle is moving too fast.

Why this matters:

1. Studies show that when a car strikes a pedestrian at 30 mph, the chance of serious injury or death is as high as 45 %. But at 20 mph, that risk falls to around 5 %.
2. Thousands of school-age children are injured each year in pedestrian or bicycle crashes.
3. Nearly 40% of school leaders say traffic patterns around their school pose a threat to student safety.
4. Florida remains one of the states with the highest pediatric pedestrian fatality rates, underlining an urgent local need. fcaap.org

What we are asking for:

1. Lower the posted speed limit in all active school zones during school‑arrival and departure hours to 20 mph or a safer, locally determined speed based on traffic and pedestrian conditions.
2. Install clear signage, flashing beacons, pavement markings and speed-feedback signs to make drivers aware when a school zone is active.
3. Add physical traffic-calming features such as speed humps, raised crosswalks, curb extensions and pedestrian refuge islands at key crossings near schools.
4. Increase enforcement of school-zone speed limits and distracted-driving laws during peak hours.
5. Require regular review of school-zone safety, including input from school officials, parents and local residents, to identify and mitigate risks.

When drivers reduce speed and pedestrians are better protected, the chance that a child will survive a collision rises dramatically. The research is clear: slower speeds save lives.

Our community deserves a commitment to safe streets around schools. We must act now to protect our children and all vulnerable road users.

By signing below, we urge city officials, transportation departments and school boards to adopt these measures immediately and make school-zone safety a top priority.

Note: In cases of unfortunate and avoidable accidents, legal recourse is often pursued, for example through a Fort Lauderdale pedestrian  accident lawyer who works to hold negligent parties accountable and seek justice for injured children and families.

Thank you for your support in making our streets safer.