Back To School
Walking to School There is no "right" age for children to start walking or biking to school with a friend or alone. Every family needs to consider the maturity of their child, how many busy streets have to be crossed and if these streets have lights or safety patrol crossing guards. Be realistic about your child's pedestrian skills. Sometimes small children are impulsive and less cautious around traffic. Carefully consider whether or not your child is ready to walk to school without adult supervision.
Practice the Route to School: Parents and kids together need to map out what route to take to school, and any alternate routes. In addition to feeling comfortable with the busy streets, etc., it's very important that children become familiar with their surroundings. Children do not always follow the rules of the road. In the past, police have witnessed accidents where they enter the street from between two cars, attempt to get their bikes through an intersection before the light turns red, and skateboard into traffic. The buddy system is the best system! Have your child walk with a friend. Ensure you teach them to pay attention to all traffic signals and never cross the street against a red light. Tell them to cross only at intersections, and never run into the street from between parked cars. Look left, right, and over your shoulder for traffic before crossing a street, and continue to check each direction. Teach your child that the best way to ensure that drivers see them is by making eye contact with them.

Driving Tips for Back To School

• All passengers should wear a seat belt and/or appropriate booster seat based on their age, height and weight (See Below):

• All children under 13 years of age should ride in the rear seat of vehicles.
• Remember that many crashes occur while inexperienced teen drivers are going to and from school. You may want to limit the number of teen passengers to prevent driver distraction. Do not allow your teen to drive while eating, drinking, or talking on a cell phone.
• Slow down in school zones. Driving just 5 KM per hour over the speed limit increases both the risk of hitting a child and the severity of any injuries. Don't impede traffic by dropping children off in the middle of the street.
• Some times children cross the street without paying attention. Remain stopped until the child has crossed not only your lane of traffic, but the adjacent lane as well. Never pass a vehicle that has stopped at a crossing, as they may be waiting for someone to cross.
• Use extra care in areas where children may enter the road from between parked vehicles or other things that block drivers' view of the road. Watch out for cyclists.
• Motorists should exercise a heightened awareness in and around a school zone. Potential hazards are much easier to perceive when driving at or below the speed limit. Pay special attention to buses and when approaching a moving school bus with lights flashing from either direction, attempt to stop if it is safe to do so. If the bus is fully stopped, meaning the stop arm is extended from the driver's side of the bus and the lights are flashing, you MUST stop at least 20 meters from the front or rear of the bus. Do not proceed until the lights stop flashing or the bus moves ahead. All traffic in both directions must stop, unless the highway is divided by a median strip. Under the Highway Traffic Act, failing to stop for a school bus carries a fine of $490.00 and 6 demerit points on your driver's license.
• When schools are open, there is significantly more traffic in and around school zones. Pedestrians, bicyclists, buses, taxis and parents all contribute to school zone congestion. Most schools are faced with traffic issues such as double parking, speeding, unsafe U-turns, jaywalking and more. Driving your child to school can sometimes be a necessity. If you are able to use other methods like having them walk, ride their bikes or take a bus, please do so. Minimal traffic in school zones is essential to keeping our students safe.

Do you drive yourself to school? You can use the table below to learn about any restrictions on your driver's license:

* ACCOMPANYING DRIVER QUALIFICATIONS
Valid class G or higher license and Licensed for at least 4 years and Requirements for license met, i.e. corrective lenses.