PAY ATTENTION, DRIVERS: CHILDREN ARE CROSSING
Kids from Mother Teresa Catholic School cross the street Monday as Edmonton police launched the second year of their Textbook Driver public awareness campaign, reminding drivers to watch for children and observe 30 km/h speed limits in school zones.
As kids start heading back to school, drivers are being warned to pay attention on the roads.
Even 10-year-old Alexia Lu will be paying more attention, she said Monday. That’s in part because she says she witnessed a close call out front of Mother Teresa Elementary School, where she’s a Grade 5 student.
One day Alexia was getting in her mom’s car, when she saw another girl and her mother in the crosswalk, she said.
“There was this car going faster than what you’re supposed to be going and the car stopped in time, but they almost hit the little girl,” Alexia said.
The city, the school boards and Edmonton Police Service held an event Monday morning to remind drivers to watch for children and follow traffic rules, as well as to launch EPS’s Textbook Driver public awareness campaign.
“It’s about keeping our kids safe,” said Dean Sullivan, principal of Mother Teresa Elementary. “They’re little people. They’re hard to see.”
People often speed, drive distractedly and pull U-turns in front of schools, he said. Several times he’s noticed drivers not see the children waiting to cross.
“Because (the children) had their wits about them, it was a miss,” he said.
This is the second year with the 30 kilometres per hour school zone speed limits. Drivers frequently broke the rule last year, the city said, which must be followed between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. on school days where the signs are posted.
More than 36,000 tickets were issued since last November, despite an education campaign and a twomonth warning period, said Dennis Tetreault, the city’s speed management and traffic safety supervisor.
“Some people are slow learners,” Tetreault said. “People need to take responsibility for their own actions.”
Parents should be careful dropping kids off at school as well, said EPS Sgt. David Green. That includes parking legally and close to the school doors, he said. People caught violating rules most often say they’re late, he said.
“For all the people who say, ‘Oh my God, I don’t have time,’ you’re literally saving 10 seconds,” Green said.
Most schools in Edmonton begin classes Sept. 8. rward@edmontonjoural.com Twitter.com/wardrachel