571 School Safety: Exterior Facilities

Site Design

It is important to create a space that is a safe area for vehicles and students during pick-up and drop-off. Parking lots should be created to handle the high traffic during the busiest times of unloading and loading at the beginning and end of each day. During other times, these areas may be empty and unsupervised.

The safety and security of the parking lot area are dependant on the following components:

1. Parking lots should not be separated from the school, but near visual surveillance from classrooms and administration areas.
2. Classrooms should have windows that overlook the vehicular routes. You might want to consider installing surveillance cameras.
3. External access to parking areas should be restricted to a limited number of controlled entrances.
4. Parking and vehicular routes should be lit with vandal proof lighting.

The entry drive should also have sufficient space for lanes coming in and out. If possible, it should be separated by a landscaped median. Issues of security and safety will also affect the design and configuration of a school parking lot. Try and avoid using loose gravel or crushed rock for surfacing because spinning tires will toss projectiles and can damage other vehicles and potentially injure pedestrians.

One entry is preferred to maintain control over vehicles entering and leaving the parking lot. This is especially true for school events that may restrict parking to certain people. However, if two entries are necessary, they should be close enough so one person can monitor both entrances. If not, two people will be needed.

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