Recent letters to the Monitor have addressed the issue of safety for children in school zones, an issue that sparks emotion. We need to turn down the heat and turn up the light on this matter, so here are some facts to consider. According to U.S. News & World Report, in 2023, 248 children were killed or wounded in school shootings. A recent survey conducted by the Transportation Research Board reports that in school zone accidents an average of 100 children are killed and 25,000 injured every year.

We formulate plans and use resources to protect children against school shootings, but are we devoting a comparable amount of attention and energy to the safety of student pedestrians and cyclists in current or proposed school zones? If not, why not?

Robert Maccini

Concord