Letters to the Editor: Should speed humps be put around all L.A. elementary schools?

To the editor: Improving pedestrian safety around Los Angeles schools must go beyond the one-size-fits-all speed hump approach under consideration at City Hall. ("Walking to school should not be deadly," editorial, April 27)

First, parents need to drive their kids to school more carefully. The driving behavior of some parents is part of the problem.

Second, each situation should be evaluated specific to the school. For instance, the school across the street from my home is on a road used by the fire department to answer emergency calls. The street is also an important route for commuters.

This school has staff and parent volunteers minding the traffic. It has carefully crafted its safety measures to its situation, and speed humps wouldn't help.

Barry Weiss, Studio City

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To the editor: More than half of all traffic deaths in Los Angeles occur to people not using the car.

Imagine if half of all tobacco deaths or more were due to second-hand smoke. Where one could smoke around other people would be tightly controlled.

So when will we similarly control how cars are used around people?

Peter Jacobsen, Port Townsend, Wash.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.