Remember to slow down starting on Sept. 8 at 8 a.m..
While it has been relaxed summer driving for the past couple months, kids are heading back to class, and drivers have to remember to watch for school zones and children going to and from schools,
According to research, most child pedestrian-related injuries occur in September and October, followed by May and June.
Drivers can avoid school zones if possible, and pay attention and slow down if they have to travel through them.
“That goes for parents too,” says David Dunne, director of road safety programs for the BCAA Road Safety Foundation. “Parents that drive their children to and from school are actually the biggest danger to child pedestrians and cyclists around schools. The congestion caused by so many vehicles creates a very dangerous environment.”
Kids can play their part by paying attention while on roads, and not texting on cell phones or playing with personal music devices while in intersections or roadways.
New excessive speed penalties could impact drivers as well. If caught driving more than 40 km over the posted speed limit, a drivers car can be automatically impounded for seven days for a first offence, which also costs the driver money for the tow and storage.