SLOW DOWN: School zones back in effect today

It’s certainly snuck up on us, but the kids are heading back to school!

Most return to the classroom today, which means certain parts of town will get quite busy around 8 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Those areas are school zones, where the speed limit is 30 kilometres per hour between 7:30 a.m. and 5 p.m (8 a.m. in some parts of the province).

Many drivers won’t respect those rules, however, which led to thousands of tickets being handed out last school year.

In 2017, nearly 8,000 tickets were handed out to B.C. drivers for speeding in school and playground zones.

There’s good reason for those tickets, as 86 of the 380 children injured in crashes every year are hit in school and playground zones, where a lower speed limit is supposed to keep them safe.

ICBC is calling on both drivers and parents to help reduce the risk for children so that they can stay safe in our province’s roadways.

Here are a few tips from ICBC on how you can do your part and, remember, school zones are back in effect starting Tuesday!

• When you're dropping off your children in school zones, allow them to exit the car on the side closest to the sidewalk. Never allow a child to cross mid-block.
• If a vehicle's stopped in front of you or in the lane next to you, they may be yielding to a pedestrian, so proceed with caution and be prepared to stop.
• Watch for school buses and when their lights are flashing, vehicles approaching from both directions must stop.
• Before getting into your vehicle, walk around it to make sure no small children are hidden from your view. Always look for pedestrians when you're backing up.
• In residential areas, a hockey net or ball can mean that kids are playing nearby. Watch for children as they could dash into the street at any moment.
• Remember that every school day, unless otherwise posted, a 30 km/h speed limit is in effect in school zones from either 7:30 a.m. or 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. In playground zones, a 30 km/h speed limit is in effect every day from dawn to dusk.