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Safety precautions stepped up this week |
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Wednesday, 29 August 2007 |
With a new school year starting up next week, drivers across the region need to be preparing for the return of both students and school buses to local roadways.
It is all too easy during the couple of months of summer holidays to get out of the habit of watching for students crossing the streets to and from classes, or the buses stopping along roadways picking up and dropping off students.
Students, excited about returning to classes and starting a new school year, may not be on top of the basic road safety rules as they walk, bike or ride school buses to schools across the region.
Unfortunately, throughout Alberta, traffic injuries are the leading cause of death and the leading cause of hospital stays for children under 14.
All it takes is a second, a minor distraction or a lack of attention and a child could be seriously injured or killed. It is not worth the few seconds saved, speeding through school zones and playground zones, to risk a life. Drivers need to slow down and pay attention.
To keep children safe this fall, drivers should use caution when approaching intersections or mid-block crosswalks. Parked or stopped vehicles can easily hide pedestrians, especially the pint-sized variety. The fine for failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk or passing a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk to permit a pedestrian to cross is $575, and four demerit points.
School safety patrols will once again be out in force at local schools and motorists should be watching out for their orange safety vests and stop as directed.
The speed limit in a school zone is 30 km/h, unless otherwise posted, and is in effect on school days from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., unless other times are posted.
The speed limit in a playground zone is 30 km/h, unless otherwise posted and is in effect from 8:30 a.m. to one hour after sunset.
In addition, a vehicle is not permitted to pass another vehicle traveling in the same direction in either school or playground zones during the times that these zones are in effect.
Safety is not just the responsibility of drivers. Pedestrians also have to take responsibility for their actions. Walking is the main form of transportation for children and youth in our communities. In Alberta during 2005, almost 40 per cent of the drivers in collisions involving a pedestrian failed to yield the right of way to the pedestrian. Pedestrians and motorists both have to be aware of traffic signs and signals. |
