Keep your eyes on the road

With school about to end for another year, the local detachment of the RCMP and ICBC are reminding motorists that the younger ones may not necessarily have road safety on their minds.

It’s a situation that requires close attention to the sides of the road, aware that a child may dart out at any time. As well, they are reminding parent’s to go over the rules for safety near the road with their children to help make the summer as safe as possible.

DRIVERS WARNED TO BE ON HIGH ALERT
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Monday, June 25, 2007
Page one

It’s the last week of school, and that means it is a time of excitement for all school age children. But it’s also a time for drivers to be especially vigilant.

With thoughts of summer on the minds of many children, they may be pre-occupied and forget the regular rules of the road. So parents are encouraged to remind kids about how to behave whenever they are playing near a street, and walking next to or crossing a road.

The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia is also issuing a friendly reminder to all drivers to use extra caution when driving through and around school zones.

“Pedestrian safety is a two-way street; motorists need to be alert and scan for pedestrians, while pedestrians need to use designated crossing points and obey traffic signs and signals,” said Nicolas Jimenez, director of road safety and loss prevention.

“Please take a little extra time to help out one another by watching out for each other.”

Since class times can vary during the last few days of the school year, kids may be walking home and playing outside earlier that usual. When school is in session, a 30 km/h school zone speed limit is effect between 8 a. m. and 5 p. m.

During the summer months, school zone limits may change but playground speed limits remain in effect throughout the year.

A few pedestrian safety tips that everyone in the family should be aware of are always making eye-contact with drivers, so drivers know you have seen them. Walking on the inside edge of the sidewalk is the place to be, so pedestrians have the least exposure to moving vehicles. If walking outside after dusk or in bad weather, wearing bright colours or reflective material clothing is best, so drives can identify pedestrians easily. And of course looking in both directions before stepping out into the road is most important for pedestrians to remember, to make sure there are no oncoming vehicles.

By following these and other road safety rules, everyone can stay as safe as possible during this final week of school, and hopefully throughout the summer.