Keep Kids Safe En Route to School

Everyone has a responsibility to keep kids safe on the way to school and police officers and parking enforcement officers will be doing their part to step up education and enforcement in school zones.

“It is not just around school zones, but everywhere where cars will be in the city. You will see police cars in school zones and around schools and they will be having conversations. But, please don’t be fooled as they will also be issuing tickets. We have zero tolerance for those who put others at risk,” said Toronto Police Service Inspector Matt Moyer at the launch of a Back-to-School Safety Campaign outside Ecole Owen Park Public School in North York on September 2.

Moyer said traffic safety should be part of everyday conversations in both classrooms and homes.

“We want families to have conversations around the best routes to take to school and road signs,” he noted. “We don’t want students to assume anything when they are going to and from school because there are drivers who will speed and make bad judgments.”

As usual, the Vision Zero Enforcement Team (VZET) which is an intelligence-led group of officers who exclusively focus on speeding, distracted driving, aggressive driving and impaired driving.

“They will be addressing speeding and distracted, impaired and aggressive driving,” Moyer said, noting that police concentrate on these offences all year round.

Mayor Olivia Chow also warned motorists to be cautious as children head back to school.

“Check your blind spots, look everywhere, and obey traffic rules,” she said. “In Toronto, we have 636 school zones, which means that speeds are lower, with clear signage, pavement markings, flashing beacons and many other devices. We also have 900 crossing guards who keep the kids safe as they cross. We are reducing speed limits on local roads and laneways to 30 kilometres per hour on a ward-by-ward basis.”

Toronto also has 1,600 pedestrian head start to improve safety at crosswalks.

“That means that when the lights are changing, it is the walk sign first so pedestrians can walk first,” she added. “Having these signals is vital.”

Councillor Rachel Chernos Lin also spoke at the event.

“I have a daughter who is starting Grade 12 today and the last thing I said to her is make sure you cross the major streets safely,” the Ward 15 Councillor said. “This is something every parent worries about as their kids leave home to go to school or anywhere for that matter. When I was a school trustee, we received many calls from parents regarding traffic safety. Drivers must exercise caution when approaching school zones. Not only should drivers drive safely, but they should also ensure they park safely when dropping off or picking up their kids.”