Back to school road safety is a shared responsibility

Upper Fraser Valley

2023-09-01 09:01 PDT

File # Back to School Safety

As the new school year approaches, the UFVRD reminds students, parents, and motorists that we all have a role to play in ensuring children and youth head back to school safely.

The RCMP remind drivers that; in Chilliwack, school zone speed limits of 30 km/hr are in effect on school days from 7:30am until 5pm where posted, whereas in other UFVRD communities, school zones don’t start until 8am. Please be aware of what time school zones start in your community.

As children return to the classroom, we can expect more traffic, busses, and children on the roads during the rush-hour commutes. We urge drivers to be cautious and to remain watchful for children on the roadways. Speeding through school zones and not stopping for school buses are dangerous and illegal driving behaviours. The RCMP, together with our partners from SpeedWatch, Safe Roads and ICBC, will be at various locations throughout the community ensuring that drivers are slowing down and our students are safe, says Sergeant Krista Vrolyk spokesperson for the UFVRD.

The start of the school year is the perfect time for drivers, parents and students alike to review the following safety tips:

Drivers:

• Obey speed limits. Slow down and be extra cautious when approaching school zones.
• Do not park inside or over a designated crosswalk.
• Do not pass a stopped vehicle that is allowing pedestrians to cross the street
• When approaching a school bus with its lights flashing and its stop sign extended, drivers in both lanes of traffic must come to a complete stop until the bus driver has turned off the lights and retracted the stop sign.

Parents and caregivers:

• Talk to your children about road safety.
• Avoid dropping your child off for school on the opposite side of the street from their school. If this is unavoidable, make sure your child knows how to cross the street safely at the nearest designated crosswalk.
• Avoid double-parking by stopping and/or unloading in non-designated parking/drop-off zones.

Students:

• Make sure to review your route to school with your grown-up at home.
• Wherever possible, cross the street at a marked crosswalk.
• Look both ways before crossing the street. Remember: stop, look and listen!
• If a vehicle stops to allow you to cross, ensure that you make eye contact with the driver and that the driver makes eye contact with you.
• Remove ear buds and headphones so you can hear your surroundings.
• Phones and digital devices can be distracting when walking and crossing streets. Put the phone away and focus on getting there safely.
• If you are riding your bike, make sure you know the rules of the road and are traveling single file as close to the right side of the street as possible. Make sure your helmet is on and fits you properly.