A new survey shows that 78 percent of Ontario parents have reported seeing unsafe driving behaviours around their child’s school.
Manager of community relations at CAA South Central Ontario, Tracey Marshall, says drivers need to slow down when entering a school zone.
Motorists can also use the following CAA tips to ensure they are staying safe in school zones:
-Help reduce traffic with active school travel: Encourage your kids to walk or ride to school to ease traffic congestion. If your school is a further distance, CAA encourages parents and guardians to park a block away and walk to school, if possible, to reduce traffic and make school zones safer.
-Slow down: Know the speed limit in your neighbourhood’s school zones and respect them. Ensure you give yourself plenty of time to drop off your kids at school to avoid rushing.
-Follow the rules of the road near school buses: Always stop for a stopped school bus with its upper flashing red light and/ stop arm activated and wait for children to get safely on or off. Stay alert and watch for children or parents/guardians crossing the road when the bus moves on.
-Choose a safe spot to drop off and pick up your children from school: Follow your school’s rules and avoid double parking or stopping on crosswalks, dropping off or picking up your kids on the opposite side of the street, and stopping in moving traffic as kids rush out. Instead, use the designated drop off areas or consider a spot a bit farther away from school that is easily accessible and safe.
-Make eye contact with passing pedestrians and cyclists: With the excitement of going back to school, anticipate that children may not easily see or hear your moving vehicle. Use eye contact to ensure pedestrians are aware of you driving your vehicle.
-Watch for CAA School Safety Patrollers: As one of the largest youth volunteer programs in Canada, they play an important role by keeping their peers safe on school buses and in school zones.
-Keep a lookout for their bright safety vests.
(Written by: Scott Arnold)
