One-minute time limit could be coming to Winnipeg school drop offs

A Winnipeg city councillor wants parents and guardians to keep it moving when dropping kids off at school.

One Winnipeg city councillor is looking into ways to get parents and guardians to keep it moving and keep things safe when dropping kids off at school.

St. Norbert-Seine River Coun. Markus Chambers has put forward a motion recommending the implementation of a “Stop, Drop, and Go” program at the city’s elementary schools.

This program would involve mandating a designated area for drop-off and pick-up with a strict time limit of one minute per car.

“What we’re seeing right now is a lot of parents who are primarily thinking of their own kids and trying to get them out of the car, and it’s creating real unsafe conditions for other students, as well as the school patrols,” Chambers said in an interview on Wednesday.

Chambers’ report also suggests signage at elementary schools that would clearly communicate the rules of ‘Stop, Drop and Go’ and the associated penalties for non-compliance, as well as increased enforcement from the Winnipeg Police Service or Parking Authority during peak drop-off and pick-up times to educate drivers and enforce the laws.

The motion also asks the public service to put together a report featuring the feasibility, cost and proposed implementation of the plan.

“The concept of the ‘Stop, Drop and Go’ zone is not unique to the City of Winnipeg, in terms of what we’re asking them to develop,” Chambers said.

“There are precedents in other cities, and it’s just perhaps, doing that environmental scan, seeing what city does it, how it’s implemented and how it’s enforced.”

According to the motion, the initiative is being recommended to improve the safety of students, staff and families in elementary school zones.

It adds that the city and school divisions have already implemented vital safety measures, including school patrols and reduced speed zones; however, significant safety concerns continue due to a “minority of individuals engaging in hazardous behaviours.”

The motion, which will be discussed at a committee meeting on Wednesday, is available online.