Duval County schools using ‘traffic gardens’ in attempt to reduce student accidents, boost road safety awareness

Duval County schools are introducing a new concept called “traffic gardens” to teach students about road safety, and Twin Lakes Academy Elementary is among the schools implementing the program.

Traffic gardens are scaled-down, interactive setups where students can practice real-world traffic scenarios. Kids can take turns acting as cars using hula hoops and as pedestrians, learning how to navigate streets safely.

Third-grader Xavier Harvey explained that the lessons are important because they taught him to always let cars get first, “so I don’t get hurt,” he said.

P.E. teacher Jimmie Freeman helped create the traffic garden over the summer, saying the setup includes buildings with and without sidewalks to mimic real-life situations.

“Even though we modified everything down... it makes