Safe Street Slow Jams

Community Safety

Expand existing project, program, or initiative

In LA, walking to school exposes students to life-threatening traffic dangers. Busy roads and distracted drivers all increase the chances of hitting a walking student. Intersections are particularly hazardous, given many LA schools are along wide, high-speed commuter roads with poor infrastructure, like missing crosswalks, crossing guards, and lack of traffic signals. And so the results are not surprising. The leading cause of death for LA elementary and middle school children are car crashes. And it is overwhelmingly happening in immigrant and communities of color. And as our streets become the deadliest they've been in two decades, more families are driving to school even if it's a few blocks. Over the past 50 years, we've seen a 37% drop in K-8 students walking to school. All of this only furthers congestion, increases greenhouse gas emissions, and inflames conflict amongst and between parents and school staff during hectic drop off/pick up hours.

For this project, we will organize multiple Safe Streets Slow Jam activations, where students are encouraged to walk to school and accompanied by parents and the community to help slow traffic. The program involves three components: First, pre-event preparations involve collaborating with schools, parents, and City officials on logistics. This includes determining the route, identifying safe crossing points, recruiting parents and volunteers, and educating the public about the activation. Second, on the designated day, volunteers gather at meeting points/intersections by the school. They are provided with safety materials, like reflective gear and stop signs. Volunteers will wear costumes, carry large signs, and other theme-based tools. Upon arrival at school, there will be a celebration with parents, school, and City officials to acknowledge the students' participation and their commitment to walking. Finally, a post-event evaluation is crucial to assess the program's impact and to inform City officials on safe street needs. Surveys will be distributed to parents, and participants to gather insights on their experience and suggestions for infrastructure improvement and pedestrian safety. Through this big tent approach - engaging students, parents, drivers, and City officials - the hope is that our Safe Streets Slow Jam activations will promote safe and active transportation, foster a sense of community, and instill lifelong habits among students and their parents.

For this project, we measure success through three outcomes: First, our students are able to walk to school safely and envision a radically different streetscape. By presenting a safe, fun, and community-centered ownership of streets that are often resigned to cars, students are able to think more critically about transportation and the role of infrastructure and community health and dignity. Second, we educate the public on safe and responsible driving. And as parents engage with one another, outside their cars and amidst a fun activation, we build greater accountability and trust. Furthermore, parents will be armed with best practices and knowledge for organizing future Safe Streets Slow Jam activations Third, a final outcome is empowering parents and the school with data showing community demand for safer streets and improved safety from the activations. They will be able to leverage this data to pressure the City to create more permanent changes and/or fund future activations.

This is an existing project, an activation we've done multiple times. In 2018 in LA's Historic Filipinotown, we conducted a Slow Jam along Temple Street where volunteers held large signs and visuals to help students safely cross a major street intersection. And in 2019, at two different elementary schools, volunteers wore superhero outfits to help students safely get to school. And in 2021, we partnered with the City of LA on a school streets activation, where we closed up a school's drop off/pick up street to cars and opened it to children walking, biking, or scooting to school. In all of these activities we surveyed parents, asking them to provide feedback on changes to their perception of safety, commitment for safer driving, and any infrastructure changes they would like to see around the school. And overwhelmingly parents have shared their support of these programs and clearly attributed them to greater safety. We anticipate doing similar parent surveys for this project.