I attended Sts. Martha and Mary School as a child and was lucky enough to live close and enjoy the walk. I still live in the area and am very worried for our children and seniors.
There’s no excuse for hostile behaviour and breaking traffic rules. Parents and motorists have to start driving safely – we don’t want someone to get hurt. I have witnessed parents not following rules of the road, including not stopping at a marked crosswalk, or driving over the speed limit. Distracted driving has also increased and remains high.
Tips for parents to help make school zones safer:
1. Avoid running late. A great deal of stress arises from feeling rushed. Give yourself plenty of time in the morning and consider completing tasks and preparing your child’s school items the night before.
2. Focus on what you can control. No matter what’s going on around you, be patient and courteous. Reacting with extreme frustration may aggravate the situation and increase the risk of unsafe behaviours. 3. Follow the rules; which include school, drop off and pick up procedures and rules of the road such as driving within the speed limit, stopping at marked cross walks and not driving distracted. If everyone follows the rules, problems and misunderstandings are less likely to occur.
5. Reduce congestion. Consider walking or cycling your child to school or park a few blocks away and walk your child the rest of the way to school.
6. Speeding. School zone speed limit is 30 km/hr between 8am - 5pm on school days unless otherwise posted. In playground zones, a 30-km/hr speed limit is in effect from dawn to dusk, 365 days of the year. • Crosswalks. Drivers must stop for pedestrians crossing the road at a crosswalk. The best and safest rule is for drivers to stop once they see a pedestrian standing on the curb at a crosswalk and to wait for as long as it takes for all pedestrians to reach the curb on the other side. • Crossing guards/patrollers. Drivers, pedestrians and cyclists must follow the instructions of a school crossing guard or student patroller. • Distracted driving. Using an electronic device while driving, including holding the device in a position in which it may be used, is considered to be distracted driving and is against the law. For you parents and guardians dropping off or picking up your child from school, avoid using your cell phone within a school zone, even when your car is parked and idling at the curb. Parents please teach your kids how to walk or cycle safely near or on the road.
There’s no excuse for hostile behaviour and breaking traffic rules. Parents and motorists have to start driving safely – we don’t want someone to get hurt. I have witnessed parents not following rules of the road, including not stopping at a marked crosswalk, or driving over the speed limit. Distracted driving has also increased and remains high.
Tips for parents to help make school zones safer:
1. Avoid running late. A great deal of stress arises from feeling rushed. Give yourself plenty of time in the morning and consider completing tasks and preparing your child’s school items the night before.
2. Focus on what you can control. No matter what’s going on around you, be patient and courteous. Reacting with extreme frustration may aggravate the situation and increase the risk of unsafe behaviours. 3. Follow the rules; which include school, drop off and pick up procedures and rules of the road such as driving within the speed limit, stopping at marked cross walks and not driving distracted. If everyone follows the rules, problems and misunderstandings are less likely to occur.
5. Reduce congestion. Consider walking or cycling your child to school or park a few blocks away and walk your child the rest of the way to school.
6. Speeding. School zone speed limit is 30 km/hr between 8am - 5pm on school days unless otherwise posted. In playground zones, a 30-km/hr speed limit is in effect from dawn to dusk, 365 days of the year. • Crosswalks. Drivers must stop for pedestrians crossing the road at a crosswalk. The best and safest rule is for drivers to stop once they see a pedestrian standing on the curb at a crosswalk and to wait for as long as it takes for all pedestrians to reach the curb on the other side. • Crossing guards/patrollers. Drivers, pedestrians and cyclists must follow the instructions of a school crossing guard or student patroller. • Distracted driving. Using an electronic device while driving, including holding the device in a position in which it may be used, is considered to be distracted driving and is against the law. For you parents and guardians dropping off or picking up your child from school, avoid using your cell phone within a school zone, even when your car is parked and idling at the curb. Parents please teach your kids how to walk or cycle safely near or on the road.
