When the final bell rings each afternoon at Chapin, the rush to leave campus begins almost immediately. Within minutes, rows of parked cars start their engines, and traffic slowly builds as students attempt to exit the lot at the same time.
With hundreds of student drivers on campus, dismissal has become a slow process that can last anywhere from 10 to 20 minutes depending on where a car is parked. The congestion is especially noticeable near the main exit, where multiple rows merge into one lane.
Senior Eric Tepezano said the biggest issue is how quickly everything backs up.
“It’s just a lot at once,” Tepezano said. “You think you’re about to leave and then you realize you’re not moving.”
Students say the layout of the lot contributes to the delay. Because several rows feed into the same exit lane, drivers often wait for multiple cars to pass before pulling out.
Junior Dante Duran said location makes a difference.
“If you’re near the front, you’re lucky,” Duran said. “If you’re in the back, you’re kind of stuck watching everybody else go first.”
In addition to delays, some students have noticed risky driving behavior during busy times. Rolling through stop signs or cutting across rows can create tense moments between drivers.
Junior Nikolas Ramos said impatience seems to be the main problem.
“I haven’t seen anything major, but there’s definitely close calls,” Ramos said. “People just don’t want to wait.”
Morning traffic can also become congested, especially when buses, parent drop-offs and student drivers enter campus around the same time. Although traffic eventually clears, students say the buildup adds unnecessary stress to the start and end of the school day.
No serious accidents have been reported this year, but drivers agree that better organization or reminders about traffic rules could help improve the flow.
For now, most students say they have adjusted to the delays. Still, many believe that a few small changes — or simply more patience from drivers — could make dismissal smoother for everyone.
