TULSA -- Parents are taking matters into their own hands after they said their children's school has no safety zones for students to cross the street.
After one close call, the parents said enough is enough.
“For me as a mother, it’s really hard to see my daughter struggle with just crossing a street this wide,” Michelle Lewis, a concerned mother said.
For Lewis, the only way to get her daughter to school is by foot.
“We have to walk to school every morning with two extra kids with us because their moms have to work, so I walk them,” she’s said.
They leave their apartment and walk about a block and a half to Dove School of Discovery off south 72nd east Ave. However, getting there isn't always easy.
“It is really hard to get across the road when you can't see past a line of cars parked on the street, and there's no traffic lights or any flashing lights to tell people to slow down,” Lewis said.
There are two signs on one street by the school, notifying passerby’s of a pedestrian crossing ahead. There’s also a three-way stop. But crosswalks and school zone warnings are almost non-existent. There is one crosswalk on the side of the school, however the paint is nearly gone.
“I see several kids crossing the street alone and I have had to stop cars from hitting them,” Lewis said. “My daughter getting hit by a car trying to go to school… that is my biggest fear."
Lewis’ daughter, Barbara Anne is in kindergarten. She's full of spunk and love for others, but when it comes to going to school, the speeding cars are enough to make her want to stay home.
“She’s afraid of it so much that it sets her back so far just to get across the street, it really scares me,” she said.
Lewis reached out to 2 Works for You after a car nearly hit her daughter on the way to school, so we reached out to the City. The city's traffic manager wasn't available for interview, but said as long as the school reaches out, they'll consider investigating the situation. The school is on board.
For many parents, as well as the school, a couple painted crosswalks and flashing school zone signs would provide a sense of security.
“It would mean my daughter could go to school safely and I wouldn't have to worry every day just walking across a simple little street,” Lewis said.
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