With kids heading back to school, let’s slow down a bit

School Zones are put in place throughout the City to keep children safe! Getting children to and from school is the communities responsibility. Some of the reasons that you should always slow to 30 km/hr and stay alert at all times in School Zones are…

• Children tend to think that vehicles can stop instantly.
• Children are hard to see near parked vehicles. They may dart onto the road at any time.
• Children under 10 can not accurately judge vehicles’ speed or distance.
• Children often don’t pay enough attention to traffic.

So why 30km/hr? It has been found that accidents occurring at speeds <35 km/hr greatly reduce the chances of serious injury or fatality. A standard 30 km/hr speed limit is set in school zones to make it easier for drivers to react and stop children from running into the road.

You will want to avoid the penalty for speeding in a School Zone is the same as any other speeding offence in the Province of Saskatchewan and results in monetary fines, as well as penalization of at least 3 demerit points by SGI.

U-Turn Restrictions

Avoid ever doing U-Turns in a school zone. And depending on your community bylaws they can also be restricted with fines attached for doing a U-Turn in a School Zone. The U-Turns are strongly discouraged for the safety of children in our communities. For example, the fine for violating this restriction is $100 and is enforced by the City of Prince Albert Police Service. Check with your local bylaw office for similar penalties. 

In any case, children often think that vehicles can see them but it is not the case in a U-Turn situation. Blind spots when changing directions for a U-Turn put children at risk.

Walking in a School Zone

Pedestrians should always remember when walking in a school zone. To use sidewalks and designated walking paths whenever possible. It is difficult for drivers to see pedestrians among parked vehicles. 

Do not jaywalk. Use a designated crosswalk or intersection. Many School Zones have Crossing Guards before and after school. It wouldn’t be bad to remove headphones and avoid distractions such as talking or texting while crossing the street.

And remember kids, Look both ways before crossing the street. Have a great new school year! Be Safe.