It’s the end of the school day, the bell finally rings at 3:30, and all of a sudden, you’re caught in the middle of a stampede of students rushing to get to the parking garage first. Hundreds of students are pushing and shoving, trying to squirm through the crowds and make it to their cars to beat the afternoon parking lot traffic jams.
Turning 16 years old is a huge milestone for any teen, and North Atlanta students are no exception because of the 4-story parking garage where people can show off their cars and get themselves to and from school every day. However, that dream quickly turns into a nightmare with a school of 2400 students scrambling to get to leave as soon as the bell rings to avoid the constant honking of hundreds of cars. “It’s very crowded, people are always pushing and trying to get outside first,” said junior Imon Roque, “People don’t usually back into their parking spots, so it’s impossible to get out when people are trying to back out at the same time.”
As people are racing to leave the parking lot, some are too furious and end up driving way too fast for a parking lot. Students are hitting speed bumps and nearly hitting cars while trying to escape the parking lot. The struggle to leave also creates safety hazards around the school, with students creating traffic jams in both the halls and the parking lot. The congestion is even worse in the central stairwell, where there are kids trying to get to the bus loop, carpool lanes, and parking garage all at the same time. “A huge problem stems from the fact that the school is in front of two traffic lights,” said junior Triston Willis.
There are times when accidents happen, and driving is no exception. There have been times when students, unfortunately, get into car accidents or fender benders while trying to leave the parking lot or as they drive down Northside. It’s obvious that students are eager to leave to relax at home or grab a bite to eat, and sometimes stuff happens. Junior Lily Pileggi was a victim of this, as when she was driving out of the parking lot, another car rear-ended her. “It was so embarrassing having to get out while everyone else was staring and watching us,” said Pileggi.
It’s of the utmost importance that we as students have each other’s backs, especially when it comes to driving to and from North Atlanta. It’s a privilege to drive here, and we must make sure to be wise and make smart decisions when handling cars in an environment such as this.
