As the 2024-25 school year fast approaches, the Grande Prairie RCMP has released a number of tips for children, parents, and drivers regarding road safety.
Constable Cory Riggs with the Alberta RCMP says the first step to take is obeying local traffic laws and staying aware of speed limits, especially during the first few weeks of school.
“Make sure that if you’re doing a drop off pickup location at school, just make sure that we’re following the school rules to the pickup line,” he says. “This is pretty much essential because the rules are designed to keep all children safe for drivers, just make sure we’re being patient, specifically around school zones.”
Riggs also took a moment to discuss stranger danger for kids, specifically during arranged pick-ups. He recommends talking to your child about the dangers associated with unknown adults and adds that reporting suspicious activity is critical in making schools a safer space for kids of all ages.
“If you are having someone to pick up your child, it’s good to come up with a password that only you and your child will know,” he says.
Awareness was another talking point for the Constable who says whether you are a child walking to school, a motorist on the roads, or even just a bystander, paying attention to your surroundings is essential in protecting your safety.
“If you’re walking to school, just make sure that you’re not on your phone, you’re not listening to music too loud, just so you can be aware of your surroundings,” he says. “Make eye contact with drivers to ensure that they notice everyone and know that you’re there, because sometimes you may see the vehicle, but the driver might not see you so that’s very important as well.”
Speed limits will also change to their posted speeds and times in school divisions, and Riggs suggests that times and speeds can vary from school to school, so remaining aware of the rules of the road could be the difference between an easy ride home and landing yourself a hefty fine and traffic violation.
“It’s very important to just be aware of where your school zones are in the city that you live in or town or community you live in,” he says. “Just make sure that we’re reducing speed in school zones and just being very mindful of the posted speed limit because they’re there for a reason and they’re there to protect people.”
Ultimately, Riggs maintains that “awareness is key” in all aspects of driving, especially during the school year, and says traffic safety is important for all drivers to be mindful of to avoid fines, jail time, and even the loss of life.
