Schools & Playgrounds Traffic Safety
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How Can you Help to Improve Traffic Conditions Around Schools and Playgrounds?
In B.C., almost 50% of all children are driven to school. By driving children to school, parent-drivers may be creating dangerous traffic conditions around schools and playgrounds. To help create a safe traffic environment around schools and playgrounds, leave your car at home and encourage children to walk, in-line skate, cycle, or take transit to school.
You can contribute toward enhancing traffic safety for children and other road users by respecting all school zone traffic control measures, parking regulations, and exercising these traffic safety practices:
- Respect the 30 km/hr school zone and playground speed limit.
- Do not stop in a No Stopping zone for any reason.
- Do not park in a No Parking zone.
- Yield the right-of-way to pedestrians at all intersections and crosswalks.
- Do not pass other vehicles in a school zone.
- Do not pass a stopped school bus with red flashing lights on.
- Give pedestrians the right-of-way when they are walking on a roadway with no sidewalks.
- Avoid driving into the school parking lot to pick-up/drop-off children.
If your children walk to school, make sure that these practices are followed:
- Pedestrians should wear fluorescent or brightly coloured clothing to be visible to drivers.
- Pedestrians should watch carefully for approaching traffic when crossing the road.
Parents and school officials have a joint obligation to establish clear traffic safety expectations for students.
School or Playground Speed Zone 30 km/hr"
Regulation: Travel at 30 km/hr or less near a school from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on school days and near a playground from dawn to dusk every day.
Travelling at 30 km/hr or less near a school or playground increases the ability of a driver to stop his/her vehicle to allow a child to cross the road safely.
What is the penalty? The penalty for speeding in a 30 km/hr zone is from $173 to $460.
Regulation: Do not park in a No Parking zone.
Stopping briefly to drop-off or pick-up a passenger is allowed in a No Parking zone. However, waiting in your vehicle or leaving your vehicle unattended is not allowed. By parking in a No Parking zone, a driver could be causing traffic congestion or even a traffic collision, and obstructing the visibility of other drivers and pedestrians.
What is the penalty? The penalty for parking in a No Parking zone is $60 and your vehicle could be towed.
No Stopping and No Stopping 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Regulation: Do not stop in a No Stopping zone for any reason.
No Stopping zones are designated in areas where a stopped vehicle could obstruct the visibility of other drivers and pedestrians and increase the likelihood of a traffic collision.
The following No Stopping zones may or may not be signed: no stopping within 1.5 metres of a driveway; 5 metres of a fire hydrant; 6 metres of a crosswalk; and 6 metres of an intersection.
What is the penalty? The penalty for stopping in a No Stopping zone can be as much as $60 and your vehicle could be towed.
School Zone: Do Not Pass
Regulation: Do not pass other vehicles in a school zone.
Do Not Pass restrictions are designated on arterial roads adjacent to elementary schools.
What is the penalty? The penalties for passing another vehicle in a Do Not Pass school zone include a fine of $86 and driver premium points.
Stop for Pedestrians at Crosswalks
Regulation: Drivers are required to yield the right-of-way to pedestrians at all intersections regardless of whether a crosswalk has specific pavement markings, signs, and/or a traffic signal and follow the directions of crossing guards when present. Drivers must also wait until all pedestrians have crossed the street before proceeding and should not pass other vehicles that have stopped for pedestrians.
What is the penalty? There is a $144 penalty for each of the following crosswalk related traffic violations: failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk; passing a vehicle that is slowing down for a pedestrian; and disobeying the direction given by a crossing guard; the penalty also includes driver premium points.
Do Not Pass a School Bus with Red Flashing Lights
Regulation: Do not pass a school bus with the red flashing lights on.
When overhead red lights are flashing on a stopped school bus, all traffic must stop and must not proceed until the bus has started moving again.
What is the penalty? The penalties for passing a stopped school bus with the red flashing lights include a fine of $144 and driver premium points.
Pedestrians on Roadways
Regulation: Drivers are required to give pedestrians the right-of-way on roadways with no sidewalks. Pedestrians should respect the following regulations and traffic safety tips.
On streets with no sidewalks, pedestrians should walk facing traffic, as far to the left as possible. On streets with sidewalks, pedestrians should use the sidewalk. Children should be encouraged to use a route to school with sidewalks and crosswalks, even if it is a slightly longer walking distance.
What is the penalty? The penalty for drivers failing to give reasonable courtesy to other road users is $100. The penalty for pedestrians failing to walk facing traffic on streets with no sidewalks or, failing to use the sidewalk on streets with sidewalks is $86. The penalty also includes driver premium points.
No U-Turns and No Backing-Up
Drivers should not make U-Turns or back-up their vehicle in a school zone. It is difficult for drivers who are making a U-Turn or backing-up to see small children crossing the street. U-Turns can be confusing for children as they may not be able to anticipate such irregular vehicular movements.
Pedestrian Visibility
Pedestrians should wear fluorescent, brightly coloured, or reflective materials on their coats and backpacks to be more visible to drivers.
Avoid Driving into the School Parking Lot
Avoid driving into the school parking lot to pick-up/drop-off children. Encourage children to walk, in-line skate, cycle, or take transit to school.
If you must drive your children to the school, park legally on a street near the school and walk to the school. Fewer cars in school parking lots and in front of schools reduce conflicts between pedestrians and vehicle traffic. All signs and pavement markings that outline safe pick-up/drop-off practices should be respected.
Watch Carefully for Approaching Traffic When Crossing
Parents should teach children to look left, right, and left again and always make eye contact with drivers of approaching vehicles before crossing the road. The practice of making eye contact with drivers is to ensure that the driver has seen the pedestrian and has the intention of stopping. Pedestrians should continue watching for traffic as they cross the road. It is important for children to learn not to assume that all drivers will stop.
Prepare for the Unexpected
It is difficult for children to see approaching traffic when they are attempting to cross the road between parked cars. Drivers should be cautious when driving near a school or playground as children may enter the roadway suddenly. Respect the speed limits and prepare for the unexpected!
What is the Real Penalty?
The real penalty for not obeying school zone traffic regulations is that you may jeopardize the safety of children and other road users. It is important that drivers respect the traffic control regulations and safety practices discussed in this pamphlet to keep our roads safe especially around schools and playgrounds.
This information was prepared by the Transportation Department, City of Richmond.
For more information please call 604-276-4032.
