Parents say after school traffic is a hazard for students

With students back in school, heavy traffic has become an issue before and after school. For one school in Yuma, parents say it’s now become a safety hazard.

According to parents, the area near C.W. McGraw Elementary School becomes extremely packed with dozens of vehicles in a single lane. They also add traffic will even reach the intersection of Arizona Avenue and 24th Street on a daily basis, making it difficult for students to cross the street.

A mother of a student at Mc Graw said her nine-year-old son was almost hit by a driver while he was walking home from school earlier this year.

“Every single day, everybody please needs to remember that this is a school zone.”

For Robert Ramirez, another parent walking his child home said he’s seen just about ‘everything’ for years.

“I’ve seen glass in the intersection, assuming there’s a car wreck or something, I’ve seen people getting pulled over, getting tickets-all right here.”

He also adds how drivers will sometimes turn Arizona Avenue into a ‘double lane’ when it’s meant to be a single lane only.

The surrounding area currently has two crosswalk attendants before and after school, but they’re usually back inside school grounds within an hour.

13 On Your Side has reached out to C.W. McGraw Elementary School for comment and will update this article with any responses we receive.