School is meant to be a safe place for students, but for many, that sense of security disappears in the parking lot. Each day, students navigate moving vehicles and crowded lanes, increasing the risk of accidents before they even leave campus.

The Stevenson parking lot often becomes congested during dismissal, creating confusion and frustration for both drivers and pedestrians.

“No one knows how to drive here,” Ava Verlinde ’27 said. “I’ve personally seen multiple people get hit, and it’s so scary.”

Beyond safety concerns, traffic delays disrupt students’ schedules and affect after-school responsibilities. Verlinde said the congestion can add more than 30 minutes to her commute.

“Even though the bell rings at 2:09 p.m., I can’t even leave to go home until 2:40 p.m., which makes my entire day backed up,” she said.

According to Verlinde, the problem is not the number of cars alone but how drivers respond to the congestion. As students rush to leave on time, patience wears thin and risky decisions increase.

People are often in a hurry to reach work, practices or other commitments, which leads to reckless driving and added delays.

“People are impatient and don’t want to wait for their turn, which causes road rage and makes people way too mad,” Damon Lott ’26 said.

The physical layout of the parking lot also contributes to the issue. Narrow lanes and limited exits force large volumes of traffic into small spaces, making it difficult for cars to move efficiently.

“If we even had an exit on the other end, that would clear traffic up by such a large amount,” Lott said.

As congestion continues to affect safety and schedules, students say changes to traffic flow or parking lot design could help reduce risks and create a safer environment after school.