JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – There are dangerous traffic conditions as Chimney Lakes Elementary students are getting out of school, according to parents.
When News4Jax went to the school on Staples Mill Drive, off of Argyle Forest Boulevard in the Chimney Lakes area of Jacksonville, when students were released Monday afternoon, people could be seen driving on the sidewalk -- the same sidewalk that students and parents were walking
In a cellphone video sent by a concerned parent, who wished to remain anonymous, a car can be seen driving in the wrong lane, illegally passing the line of cars waiting to pick up students.
Several parents told News4Jax that something needs to be done here on Staples Mill Drive outside of Chimney Lakes Elementary before someone gets hurt.
"I’m looking into homeschooling because of all of this it would be much easier," the concerned parent said. "I wouldn't have to deal with traffic. I wouldn't have to worry about him accidentally being hit."
That parent said widening Staple Mill Drive in front of the school could help, but she said she didn't know if there's room to widen the road because the school is already extremely close to the road and, on the other side, there's homes only about 30 feet away.
The Duval County school district said, in recent months, the school worked with the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office to adopt a new traffic pattern, which only allows right-hand turns in and out of the school during school hours to reduce wait time for parents picking up students and to keep areas where children are walking safe.
"I hope it gets better. I really do for the sake of the kids," said Tonya Thomas, a mother of two girls who attend Chimney Lakes Elementary. "I just pray nothing happens. But it's any day, a parent can go off at another parent or it's just something. They're all hotheaded."
Thomas said she sees illegal driving every day. She said the new traffic pattern has reduced wait time for parents, but she doesn't feel it’s made it safer for students.
School board member Becki Couch, who represents the area which includes Chimney Lakes Elementary, said she was contacting the school district to have someone come out this week to survey the situation when school is getting out.
Couch said there’s also a meeting next week between school board and City Council members during which she expects the issue to come up.
Parents are also advised to drive safely and report illegal driving to police.