Cameras help drivers pay attention
We are writing in support of The Seattle Times editorial board in their recent editorial about school-zone cameras [“Slow down and smile, drivers — you’re in a school zone,” seattletimes.com, Nov. 20]. As parents who lost a daughter in a traffic crash, we support traffic-safety programs that protect drivers, passengers and pedestrians from preventable injuries and fatalities.

According to Safe Kids U.S.A., one out of every six drivers in school zones is distracted. This statistic is concerning on any roadway, but it is even more frightening when children are put in danger.

Reckless driving in school zones is a serious threat to children’s safety and steps must be taken to discourage behaviors that put children in harm’s way. Parents should be able to send their children off to school knowing that effective safety measures are in place.

Installing safety cameras in school zones will help children get to school safely and ensure drivers pay attention to the road, not their phone.

– Paul and Sue Oberhauser, national co-chairs, Traffic Safety Coalition, Somerset, Ohio