It is no surprise that a parking lot full of newly-licensed teenagers would pose a significant safety threat to students, and at Panther Creek High School, this statement is more than accurate. But just how dangerous is the parking situation at Panther Creek? PCNN uncovered the true depth to this problem by interviewing the senior class about their parking lot collisions and experiences.

The first question asked was whether the students interviewed had been in an accident of their own in the parking lot. Senior Brock Hattley recalls an incident in which a fellow senior clipped the back of his car while driving recklessly past him as he was backing out. This scene is an all too familiar one for students, as fender benders like these seem to be a common occurrence.

Furthermore, we inquired for the students’ opinions on the relative safety of the parking lot. According to Bailey Ensman, it is unsafe because, “everybody pulls out at the same time and they don’t look where they’re going.” Many students tend to be in a hurry in the mornings and afternoons to either get to school on time or make it home as quickly as possible, and this rush tends to be the cause of most accidents.

In addition, students were asked what they would change about the parking lot to increase its safety and efficiency. Lauryn Mulder commented that she would change, “the way each row is dismissed,” at the end of the day. The dismissal system underwent an organization change for the 2018-2019 school year, in which students are now able to pull out of their parking spots and leave before the buses do at 2:30.

Lastly, PCNN asked students to offer up their opinion on these changes in dismissal as compared to the previous year. In the words of Tyler Masie, the system has improved, because students, “can get out faster,” and it is, “more organized and less chaotic.” The general consensus of the senior class is in agreement, as students tend to favor getting a chance to pull out while the buses are loading.

In conclusion, the Panther Creek parking lot is certainly not the safest of environments, and collisions are bound to be a reoccurring problem no matter what system is implemented. The combination of inexperienced drivers in a time crunch is a recipe for disaster that is unavoidable for the most part. However, with the dismissal structure changes and a team of administrators and police officers working hard to prevent and attend to these accidents, the safety of the Panther Creek parking lot is surely on an upward spiral.