OBERLIN, Ohio — If drivers have noticed a few extra safe driving reminders popping up around Oberlin City Schools lately, it’s not a coincidence — and it’s not just about enforcing the rules of the road.
Lorain County Public Health has rolled out new “No Phone Zone” signs around the Oberlin City Schools campus as part of a broader, countywide push to cut down on distracted driving and make trips to and from school safer for students.
The message is simple: phones down, eyes up and attention on the road — especially during busy drop-off and pick-up times.
According to a recent Facebook post from Lorain County Public Health, students arrive at school in a variety of ways — walking, biking, scootering, riding the bus or getting dropped off by car.
The signs are meant to serve as a visual nudge to drivers navigating school zones, crosswalks, and nearby streets where kids are most likely to be present.
The “No Phone Zone” effort is part of the county’s larger Safe Routes to School initiative, which focuses on making it safer and more appealing for students in grades K–12 to walk or bike to school. In Oberlin, that includes both physical safety improvements and education aimed at changing everyday habits behind the wheel.
Lorain County Public Health works with school districts to develop School Travel Plans, which outline how communities can reduce barriers to walking and biking, while encouraging active transportation. Those plans are updated every five years and rely on input from schools, families, public health officials and community members.
Oberlin City Schools currently has an up-to-date School Travel Plan, last completed in 2021, placing it among several Lorain County districts actively participating in the program. Other districts with current plans include Clearview, Elyria, Avon and Lorain.
Health officials say the benefits extend beyond traffic safety. Walking or biking to school helps students meet daily physical activity recommendations and has been shown to improve focus and classroom performance. That can be especially important when recess and movement during the school day can be limited during the winter months.
The program is built around what public health officials call the six Es: engineering, education, encouragement, engagement, evaluation and equity. That can mean everything from sidewalk improvements and walk audits to bike camps, Walk-to-School Days and programs that help provide bicycles to students who might not otherwise have access to one.
In Oberlin, community walk, bike and roll events tied to Safe Routes to School aim to strengthen those habits while also building stronger connections between students, families and the neighborhoods they travel through each day.
