STORY: Safety in high traffic school zones starts with reducing dangerous driving behaviour

According to an Ipsos survey conducted for CAA SCO in 2017 with 1000 Ontario parents of school-aged children (kindergarten - grade 8), about two in five (41%) parents have witnessed or experienced an incident in a school zone, and almost one-third of parents (31%) consider road safety conditions in their child’s school zone to be unsafe.

“School zone safety is everyone’s responsibility, and we are encouraging anyone travelling through school zones this year to prioritize patience and to show extra care,” said Elliott Silverstein, manager, government relations, CAA SCO. “High traffic periods before and after school can lead to dangerous driving behaviour and avoidable tragedies.”

Tips for walking your kids to school:

• Gadgets can be distracting, put them in backpacks or leave them at home

• Decide on a route to school together

• Point out crosswalks, stop signs and the homes of family friends along the way

• Stay alert when walking and crossing the street

• Buddy up with a sibling or friend for a safer and more fun way to walk to school

Tips for driving your kids to school:

• Look out for the community safety zone signs and obey speed limits

• Drivers must wait until pedestrians and crossing guards are safely on the sidewalk before driving through

• Don’t drop off or pick up your kids on the opposite side of the street

• Keep an eye out for children darting out from between parked cars

How to share the road with school buses:

• Drivers in all directions must stop when they see red lights flashing on a school bus. The only exception are roads separated with a median

• Drivers must stop at least 20 metres behind the bus

• Not stopping for a school bus will result in a fine of up to $2000 and six demerit points

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