Back to school prompts school zone safety reminders

Students are preparing to say goodbye to summer and hello to their teachers as another school year gets back in session.

CAA Saskatchewan says drivers and pedestrians should once again be prepared on the road as students make their way back into the classroom.

“It’ll take a while for us all to get organized again and get those routines down pat,” said Angel Blair, senior communications specialist with CAA Saskatchewan.

Blair said there are a few things people can do to ensure the best first day back. They include staying alert, avoiding distracted driving, and knowing the rules of the road. A study done by CAA shows both speeding and illegal U-turns are major concerns during this time of year.

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“It’s everyone’s job to just keep this in mind,” Blair said. “We have to really keep practising these safety habits.”

One of the biggest mistakes both drivers and pedestrians make is not making eye contact before crossing the street.

Troy Davies, public affairs director for Medavie Health Services West, said that while calls are generally rare, the ones the ambulance service attends to are cases where drivers assumed they were seen by pedestrians crossing streets.

“Making eye contact … before you cross the street is probably the biggest hint that we would give out there,”  Davies said.

Back to school also means the return of school busses — and with them, a reminder to take caution and not pass them while they are loading and unloading students.

Davies said the problems the ambulance service usually sees involve instances where a child is struck within 10 feet of a bus. “So, just general caution, take your time.”

While these measures may seem like common sense, both CAA and Medavie said that if drivers and pedestrians take the time to think, it could make the difference between a good or bad day of school.

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