Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/162450
hot topics Respect the Zone Getting to school shouldn't be the most dangerous part of a kid's day by Alex Ricci Whether young students arrive by bike, vehicle or on foot, school zones remain danger zones. In fact, collisions between vehicles and child pedestrians remain the leading cause of injury-related death for students 14 years and younger, according to Stats Canada, with 30 children killed by vehicles while walking and another 2,400 more seriously injured in 2008 alone. And, such incidents generally occur during schoolcommute hours – within five kilometres of the family home. With many school districts already experiencing high traffic volumes, added congestion – due to a rise in enrolment outside family school catchment areas as well as fewer kids commuting on foot by choice – is certainly one of the contributing factors. Parents, caregivers – and drivers in general – who fail to follow the rules of the road are also a concern, along with B.C.'s growing numbers of distracted drivers, and walkers, many of them focused on their phone screens. But "an overwhelming problem in school zones is simply the fact that too many parents are trying to get in and out of an overcrowded area where too much is going on – while they have too much on their minds," says North Vancouver RCMP Cpl. Richard De Jong. Fortunately, several traffic safety organizations are helping prevent a rise in the traffic safety stats for kids. Student patrollers with BCAA's RSF School Safety Patrol program, for example, remain vigilant at many elementary schools throughout the province, and even more schools are signing up now that the program is offered free of charge. HASTe, the Hub for Active School Travel, continues to partner with municipalities and traffic engineers to redesign school zones, finding new ways to safely separate cyclists and 38 W e s t w o r l d p38-39_HotTop.indd 38 >> FA L L 2 0 1 3 School Zone Refresher Traffic safety research shows two key areas of risk for child pedestrians: pedestrian distraction and improper driver behaviour, including speeding, U-turns, stopping in no-stopping zones and backing up into crosswalks. To reduce the potential for vehicle-child collisions: If you're driving in a school zone – • Slow down and stay alert for kids: Pay extra attention within school zone areas during the morning and afternoon commute hours, and reduce speed as required by law: 30 km/h weekdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Expect the unexpected: Make it a habit to scan between parked cars and other objects for kids who could dart out unexpectedly; double-check for pedestrians before backing up; remember that kids could be on either side of your vehicle. Kids need to exit the car on the side closest to the sidewalk when being dropped off at school. Follow the rules of the road: Yield to pedestrians and avoid U-turns, rolling through stop signs and stopping in no-stopping zones. No passing school buses when their red lights are flashing (children are loading and unloading) — and use extra caution in adverse weather conditions. • pedestrians from vehicles while reducing congestion through educational awareness campaigns and special events such as its International Walk to School Week, or iWalk (slated for October 7 to 11 this fall; hastebc.org/resources/iwalk-inter national-walk-school-week). Parents them selves are also partnering with schools on community-based solutions, often with the support of law enforcement. And, city planners are engineering long-term infrastructure solutions to streamline traffic flow and boost safety through sitespecific school drop-off lanes, zebra crossings and turnaround areas. Though it may not be apparent to drivers stuck behind illegally stopped mini-vans expelling knapsack-toting students or parents at school zones witnessing distracted and speeding drivers breaking traffic laws, progress is being made. Meanwhile, traffic safety experts agree that keeping kids safe on their school commute remains a shared responsibility – between drivers, parents or caregivers dropping off and picking up in school zones, and the kids themselves. The bottom line: pay attention, slow down and respect the rules of the road – year-round. • • • If you're a parent or caregiver – • Teach your kids how to safely cross the road: Make them aware they're sometimes impossible for a driver to see, so they must always look both ways and make eye contact with drivers before crossing. Teach them to find the safest crossing zones by looking for patrolled, marked or traffic-light-controlled intersections. Make it a rule: Put away cellphones and other electronic devices when crossing the road, no exceptions. Teach your kids to focus on their environment instead. Model the behaviour yourself. Plan a safe route: Ask your school principal about Safe Routes to School for your neighbourhood. Or access HASTe's online route-planning tool • • (hastebc.org/tool/walking-and-cycling-routeplanning-tool). If your child walks, develop a buddy system with his/her friends, or other parents, or join your neighbourhood's "Walking School Bus" program. Ensure your kids wear bright or reflective clothing so they can be seen in the dark or in poor weather. • A.R. — • BCAA 13-08-19 1:20 PM