Whether you live in a small town or a large city, your neighborhood can experience a high volume of traffic, and many drivers engage in dangerous driving behaviors such as speeding and distracted driving.
Not only is a high volume of traffic traveling through your neighborhood noisy and disruptive, but your safety is also at risk. Whether you are going for a morning jog
with your dog or if your child is riding his or her bike, there’s an increased risk of a pedestrian accident with an unsafe driver.
While it may be difficult to monitor and patrol the traffic in your neighborhood, here are some tips for promoting safer driving in your neighborhood.
Form A Neighborhood Watch Group
Today’s neighborhoods are different than they were decades ago. Many homeowners spend time away from home and when they at home they typically don’t venture out to socialize with others in the neighborhood.
If you have concerns about dangerous motorists driving through your neighborhood, you may need to take the initiative and reach out to others in your neighborhood. You can make flyers, mail a letter, and try to organize a meeting. If you live in a neighborhood where there’s a Homeowners Association (HOA), you are likely to have more luck voicing your concerns.
Although it may take some time to get others in your neighborhood to join you (or even listen to your concerns), you can work together as a group to combat against dangerous drivers.
Contact Your Local Authorities
Now that you have a group of concerned residents in your neighborhood, what’s the next best plan of action? Attend a city council meeting or contact your police department and talk about all of your concerns. The more proof, the better so consider video footage or detailed notes of incidents that have taken place in your neighborhood.
Even if there have been no accidents, you still have the right to ask for a safer neighborhood. Talk to local authorities about getting speed bumps installed, radar speed signs, or even more patrolling in the area. You may also want to see if there’s a Keep Kids Alive Drive 25® campaign in your community and if not, suggest looking into joining.
Host a Get Together, Educate Your Neighbors
Education is an important step when trying to promote safer driving in your neighborhood. Even if you don’t know many of your neighbors, consider organizing a “meet and greet” or a block party. Take the time to talk with all of your neighbors and also voice some of your concerns about the safety of your neighborhood.
Whether you create and handout pamphlets that highlight safe driving tips for residential areas or even have a law enforcement officer as a guest speaker, these can be effective ways to deliver your message.
Want to have fun? “Cards of Distractibility” is a free online game which simulates a texting and driving scenario. At the end of the game session, the “driver” is asked to play a memory type game. The player is asked to identify the signs that were on the road as he or she was driving distracted.
Not only is a fun way to engage in a little friendly competition, but it can help many re-think the way they drive.
