September Traffic Spotlight heads back to school zones
Regina, SK (Sept. 3, 2019) – With kids across Saskatchewan going back to school, SGI and law enforcement are shining the Traffic Safety Spotlight on school zones for the month of September.
With that in mind, the teacher’s pets at SGI decided to test your knowledge with a special Pop Quiz on School Zone Safety!
“Think a test on the first day of school is unfair? It’s not, since you’re actually being tested on all of these things every time you drive through a school zone, and you don’t want to fail,” said Penny McCune, Chief Operating Officer of the Auto Fund.
- Multiple choice: What can drivers do to #KeepKidsSafe?
- Slow down and follow the reduced speed limits
- Avoid all distractions, and pay attention to the road
- Be prepared for the unexpected, like excited kids jaywalking
- Don’t U-turn in school zones or park in “No Stopping” areas
- When dropping off kids, have them exit curbside on the same side of the street as the school
- Obey crossing guards, crosswalks and traffic control devices
- All of the above
- Of the following choices, which represents the single biggest risk to children in Saskatchewan school zones?
- Brain rot from video games
- Motorists
- Sewer clowns
- Existential dread
- What is the penalty for exceeding the speed limit by 20 km/h in a school zone?
- A week of detention
- A $240 ticket plus two demerits
- A $310 ticket plus three demerits
- Having to write “I drive too fast and it’s dangerous” 1,000 times on the chalkboard
- True or false: With multiple features designed to protect occupants, school buses are, by far, the safest vehicles on the road.
- Bonus question: What is the school zone speed limit and when is it in effect where you live?
ANSWER KEY:
1. What can drivers do to #KeepKidsSafe?
The answer is “g. All of the above.” School zones are busy, particularly during drop-off times, and kids get excited when going to school. Children are smaller and harder to see, and they don’t always pay attention to traffic rules, like crossing at crosswalks. So it’s important for drivers to slow down, avoid distractions, be extra cautious and expect the unexpected.
2. Of the following choices, which represents the single biggest risk to children in Saskatchewan school zones?
If you answered “b. Motorists,” give yourself a gold star. Thanks to lower speed limits and other safety measures, collisions that hurt kids in school zones are relatively rare, but they do occur, and we want to eliminate them completely. In the last decade, there have been 18 kids hurt in school zone collisions.
3. What is penalty for exceeding the speed limit by 20 km/h in a school zone?
The answer is “c. $310 plus three demerits.” Speeding fines for school zones are extra tough, so learn to slow down. It will give you more time to react. When it comes to children and vehicles, there is little margin for error.
4. True or false? With multiple features designed to protect occupants, school buses are, by far, the safest vehicles on the road.
True. School buses are built with additional joint strength, reinforced sides, rollover protection, compartmentalized seating, stringent roof crush standards, high visibility paint and lighting requirements. School buses are the most regulated vehicles on the road, and are subject to mandatory periodic inspections. Kids are safer in school buses than any other vehicle on the road. But when the bus stops, motorists need to look out for kids getting on and off of it. Avoid bus loading zones if possible. If a bus is slowing, or is stopped with its amber lights flashing, motorists should reduce their speed and ensure it is safe before proceeding. If red lights are flashing, come to a complete stop. Failing to obey school bus safety lights is a $360 ticket and four demerits.
5. Bonus question: What is the school zone speed limit and when is it in effect where you live?
It varies according to the municipality. In some Saskatchewan communities, it’s 30 km/h and in others it’s 40 km/h. Some communities enforce school zones seven days a week year-round, others only on days when school is in. The hours of the day the zone is in effect also vary. The City of Regina has reduced limits this year to 30 km/h, and changed the hours they are in effect. Wherever you are, pay attention to the signs as you’re entering a school zone, and make sure you’re following the law.
Extra credit assignment
Parents, be sure to talk to your kids about school zone and traffic safety.
- As pedestrians, they should only cross the street at crosswalks and at controlled intersections – jaywalking is dangerous
- It’s always a good idea to make eye contact with drivers and to let them come to a complete stop before starting to cross the street.
- Put the phone away – distracted walking is dangerous too!
- Never, EVER walk out between parked cars.
- Be careful around school buses; watch out for passing vehicles.
About SGI CANADA
SGI CANADA is the property and casualty insurance division of SGI, offering products in five Canadian provinces. It operates as SGI CANADA in Saskatchewan, British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario, and also as Coachman Insurance Company in Ontario. Products are sold through a network of independent insurance brokers. For more information, visit www.sgicanada.ca.
Source: Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI)
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