As a parent, I send my children off to school each day wishing they have a safe and fun-filled learning experience. Unfortunately, for parents and children in Hewish, Weston-super-Mare, UK, our commute has been riddled with anxiety due to the dangerously high speed limit of the road outside our school.

My children attend the local school and on several occasions, we have experienced several hair-raising near-misses and witnessed multiple minor accidents caused by vehicles travelling at excessive speed. Our precious ones risk their safety each day navigating high-speed traffic to get to their place of learning. This situation is alarming and unacceptable.

Research indicates that pedestrian fatality rates are twice as high at 30mph compared to 20mph ("Risk of pedestrian injury and fatality in collisions with motor vehicles", a study by Emilio Sacristán Rock). Reducing speed limits from 30mph to 20mph in school zones significantly enhances pedestrian safety. Such reductions have already been proven effective in other parts of the UK, reducing casualty rates by up to 40% (Report by Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents). A 20mph zone during school drop off and pick up could have a huge impact on our safety.

Let us unite and appeal for the reduction of speed limit around our school grounds. Let's create a safer environment for our children and alleviate the distressing worries of every parent, caregiver, and school staff member. A child's path to education should not be a hazardous journey.

Please sign this petition and join us in asking local authorities to reduce the speed limit on our school road. Let's make our children's safety a priority.