The Forbidden Left Turn

Liberty installs a new ‘No Left Turn’ sign next to the north entrance of the school

The new "No Left Turn" sign at the entrance (closest to QT) of the school.

Lilly Brown

The new “No Left Turn” sign at the entrance (closest to QT) of the school.

Lilly Brown, Reporter
October 11, 2022

Car crashes are a common and frequent issue at Liberty High school. A lot of kids in high school are fresh and new to driving. However the parking lot is not an easy thing to attempt to get out of. With the many new drivers and limited exits, there have been plenty of accidents through the years. 

One main cause of these car crashes was the north entrance (closest to QT) of the parking lot. Sommers Road is a very busy road, it is difficult to see if the coast is clear to turn left at that entrance. This has led to numerous crashes when someone attempted to turn left.

To fix this issue, the school installed a ‘NO LEFT TURN’ sign right next to the exit. 

“We are asking for early morning drop-off drivers and dismissal traffic to use the south exit to turn left onto Sommers Road,” according to an email sent out by Liberty administration.

The school security guard Renee Dettmer tells what she’s noticed from the new sign, “I can’t say I’ve seen an actual change, I do know I have a few more cars coming from the front [of the school] from it.”

It is important to keep in mind that the parking lot safety is all based upon who’s behind the wheel.

“The success of this procedure to run efficiently depends on the cooperation of all drivers,” school administration states.

Did you know the risk for car crashes is higher in ages 15-19 than any other age?

The school is hoping that this new sign will limit the number of crashes. They hope to ensure that everyone can make it out of school safe and sound.

School administration says, “This change is for the safety of our Liberty family.”

The school mentions three things that could help ensure safety:

  1. Be alert
  2. Be respectful to other drivers
  3. Follow the direction of the school security team

“Drive the speed limit on the property, it’s 15 miles per hour,” Dettmer says.

Many hope to see a positive change for the safety of student drivers with this new sign. We may even see more new signs to help the traffic.

Dettmer tells her idea for a new sign, “I’m asking for a sign on the other side of the bridge, I’m just waiting for a head on with a bus and student.”

As the school grows, more and more drivers will be added. With that, more signs may be added too.