Canada’s roads undergo a noticeable transformation every September, when children go back to school and summer traffic patterns are replaced by crowded school zones in which parents are dropping off their kids, buses are making frequent stops, crossing guards are directing people at busy intersections and thousands of schoolchildren are walking or cycling to school.
This makes the fall a challenging time of the year for motorists, demanding a renewed focus, since even brief moments of inattention, such as glancing at a mobile phone or speeding through school zones, can have catastrophic consequences.
Children’s behaviour can be unpredictable. They’re often preoccupied or socializing with friends while crossing the road. They might suddenly step off the curb or dart across the road between parked vehicles, appearing directly in a driver’s path. “School zones should be safe places for students,” says Saint John Police Force (SJPF) acting chief Neal Fowler. “While safety is everyone’s responsibility, drivers have the greatest ability to prevent collisions.”
