MAD Fenderbenders

Audrey Bhagi, News Editor

Following the completion of construction in August, the front parking lot was finally available to staff and students once again, extending the amount of parking and chances for fender benders. There are various lots on school grounds where teachers and students may park during the school day: the two front lots, the gravel lot, the senior lot and the junior lot, with teachers having designated parking spots scattered around these locations.

Reckless driving and accidents are common among teenagers as many are inexperienced and are new drivers, which makes the Madison parking lot a war scene. Leaving the parking lots at the end of the day can take a while, with students shoving in and cutting each other off in order to leave as fast as possible. This rash driving often results in accidents.

“The parking lot is too small for the amount of cars parked there,” Nicole Hartogs (’23) said. “The spots are pretty narrow, too.”

Exiting the parking lots is already potentially dangerous for students’ and teachers’ cars, but parking is a whole different battle. Parking is often a challenging task for new drivers, and students pulling into spaces is a high-risk situation for other cars. There have been numerous incidents of students hitting or scratching nearby cars while attempting to maneuver their parking spot.

“Depth perception and object permanence are lacking at this school,” Ethan de Kramer (’23) said.