With students heading back to class across the city Tuesday, Vancouver police and ICBC are reminding drivers to slow down and stay alert in school zones as children return to sidewalks, crosswalks and bike routes. Officers and volunteers gathered near George Weir Elementary School, at the intersection of Rupert Street and East 44th Avenue, during the morning rush to promote road safety on the first day of school. “We’re asking everybody on the roads today to exercise some patience as they’re either dropping off kids or trying to get to work or wherever they need to be going,” said Const. Darren Wong of the Vancouver Police Department. Police say drivers should be especially mindful in school zones, where the posted speed limit is 30 km/h. According to ICBC, September is one of the most dangerous months of the year for children on B.C. roads. “September, we have the highest amount of crashes that children are involved in, whether they’re walking to school, in vehicles or cycling,” said Harvey Kooner, a road safety and community co-ordinator with ICBC. Recent data cited during the VPD-ICBCcampaign shows the number of crashes involving minors in September is 37 per cent higher than the monthly average. Officials say the message for motorists is simple: slow down, eliminate distractions and pay attention when travelling through school zones. “When you’re going through a school zone and you’re speeding, or you’re not focusing on the road, you need to think about the kids and slow down. Leave that phone alone and focus on the road,” Kooner said. With students now back in classrooms and on neighbourhood streets, police hope drivers will carry that reminder beyond the first day of school and throughout the year.
