DEARBORN, Mich. (WXYZ) — Parents with kids at Fordson High School in Dearborn could get cited if they drop their kids off on Ford Road.
Dearborn Police Department Chief Issa Shahin said the action is necessary to prevent tragic crashes.
Shahin says people drive over 40 miles per hour and sometimes drop students off from the center and even the left lane.
"In reality, the way it is all set up is wrong," said Mo Chami, who has two kids at Fordson.
On any given morning, more than 2,500 students are getting dropped off at the school. Chami describes the process as horrible.
"Especially if you got to pick up your kid and you got to go to work," Chami said. "It takes literally 15 to 20 minutes to pick up your kid."
On Ford Road, a sign clearly states no stopping, standing or parking, but parents do it anyways.
Dearborn police want it to stop before someone get's hurt.
"I don't blame the parents that are doing that because I use to do that, but I can see the point of view of the Dearborn police," Zeinab Hussein, a parent, said.
"If all the parents are just slowing down real fast and having the kids bounce out of the car, yeah it is dangerous," Hussein added.
Shahin says officers are taking down license plates and citing parents who drop their kids on Ford Road. The new protocol started Wednesday. Shahin says seven parents have been ticketed so far.
The ticket is for impeding traffic and costs $175.
"Most people once they get ticketed, they have to pay and when you have to pay for something, you stop doing it," said Marwah Farhat, a math teacher at Fordson. "I think it is a really good idea."
Shahin says there's a more permanent solution in the works.
"We came up with a plan, working in conjunction with the school, that's going to turn Horger, which is on the west side of Fordson, one way only northbound," Shahin said.
Chami is worried that'll jam things up.
"Doing it this way is wrong. I think it's going to slow traffic," Chami said.
Shahin says Horger is the preferred area for drop-off and pick-up.
He's hoping the one-way change and the ticketing will control traffic and protect students.
"We're going to start here at Fordson, but I think we are going to replicate the same thing at our other high schools, so we can make sure we have a safe way to get our kids to school across the city," Shahin said.
Some parents think the school and police should go beyond that and create safe zones.
7 Action News asked Hussein if she thinks the creation of zones would help parents get in and out faster. Her response:
"Maybe something to look into it, you know, get a team together, implement something like that," Hussein said. "That would be great."
The chief says five school resource officers will now be positioned throughout the district, including Fordson. He says they will be keeping an eye out making sure kids land safely.
The chief did not say when Horger would be turned into a one-way street.
