School zones in San Diego are, unfortunately, a hotbed for pedestrian and vehicle accidents and one recent study looked at the number of bicycle, pedestrian, and traffic accidents that happen near schools to find the most problematic elementary schools in San Diego. They looked at bicycle and pedestrian accidents and weighed those much more heavily in their ranking because those had the most direct correlation to children walking to school.

The most dangerous neighborhoods in San Diego around school zones were in urban areas. Any school zone, however, could be home to devastating accidents because of the number of pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists in the same area at the same time. Even with crossing guards, crosswalks, and lower speed limits in place, the most dangerous school zones in San Diego could lead to injuries for parents and children alike.

In San Diego County, the three most dangerous elementary school neighborhoods included Urban Discovery Academy, Central Elementary near University Avenue, and Euclid Elementary in City Heights.

The safest school zones in San Diego, according to the research study, were in residential rural areas including those that had zero traffic accidents in 2015 like Spencer Valley Elementary, Warner Springs Elementary, and Longfellow Elementary in Bay Park.

Parents can play a vital role in minimizing accidents in school zones by teaching children safe pedestrian skills, such as looking both ways before crossing any street. Wearing visible clothing is another option to help children stand out for drivers.

Never allowing children under age 10 to walk to school alone and keeping children on a designated route each day with a minimum number of street crossings can help to cut down on the chances that a child will be struck or killed in an accident.