School zones now in effect across Metro Vancouver

With students heading back to the classroom this week, it’s your annual reminder that school zones are back in effect across the region.

Police departments and agencies across the Lower Mainland have been urging drivers to take extra care on the roads and to obey traffic signage.

“We want drivers to anticipate the possibility of children running into the road. We all know little feet can be unpredictable,” said Sgt. Andrew Leaver with the New Westminster Police Department.

“When you slow down, it just provides you with more reaction time. There are a lot of people out here, it’s a very active area. We’d encourage everybody just to take those extra seconds to make sure everybody’s safe.”

ICBC is reminding you that a speed limit of 30 kilometres an hour is in effect in all school zones from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. every school day unless otherwise noted.

Additionally, the auto insurer says if a school bus has its flashing lights on, vehicles in both directions are required to stop.

In Vancouver, the city says slow zones around elementary schools limit speeds to 40 km/h on arterial streets and 30 km/h on collector streets between those hours on school days. Signs and road markings are expected to be installed in 10 school zones for 16 schools in the early fall.

According to ICBC, every year on average, 359 children are injured and three are killed in crashes while they’re walking or riding their bikes. When it comes to school and playground zones specifically, the auto insurer says 51 children are hurt every year.

In an effort to keep kids safe, ICBC says it’s invested $1,750,000 over the last five years in school-safety-focused projects, such as additions of pedestrian crosswalk signals, raised medians, and speed reader boards.

The insurer is also urging families to teach children about the basics of crossing the street, like making eye contact with drivers before they start walking.