Students across the country are gearing up and heading back to
school. Kids are reuniting with friends they haven't seen since
June; others are distracted by showing off new clothes; and some of
the youngest are navigating their way to class for the very first
time. In this post, we explore five important things to keep in
mind, as we start back into school zone season.
The Vulnerability of Pedestrians in School Zones
Drop-off and pick-up times are frantic for just about everyone.
Parents are in a rush to get off to their daily duties, and traffic
around schools is chaotic. The temptation to break the rules of the
road can be huge. In 2007, the American Academy of Pediatrics reported over
150,000 injuries in the US each year, related to school day
transportation. Between 2000 and 2005, there were 2,717 collisions
involving children in the City of Toronto alone, with most
happening within 0 – 150 meters of a school zone. Not
surprisingly, the highest risk times for