EDMONTON – Police are issuing a plea to Edmonton motorists after some concerning findings about safety around schools in the city.
After monitoring nine southwest Edmonton schools over a three-week period late last year, police caught close to 800 traffic infractions – by both drivers and pedestrians. Among the offences: everything from jaywalking, running stop signs, to distracted driving, and failing to stop for pedestrians.
The habits are especially worrisome for police, since they feel school areas are becoming “chronically congested.” The highest concentration of schools is in southwest Edmonton, where there are 67 schools.
“As any parent can attest, the roadways around schools are becoming increasingly difficult to navigate due to the volume of traffic flow through these areas,” said Cst. Andre Paul, of EPS Southwest Division. He added that some of the city’s school areas were designed to have 20 or 30 vehicles coming through, but are now dealing with ten times that amount.
“Combine that with icy roadways and school bus traffic, and you’ve got a recipe for disaster.”
Watch below: Gord Steinke speaks with Cst. Andre Paul about school zone driving habits
Houser admits she’s seen some close calls while bringing her own kids to school. ”
“People try to move a little too quickly through there, people park in the crosswalk, and then children can’t get through,” she said.
The fine for not driving responsibly around a school can be up to $587. But police remind drivers that children’s lives are also on the line.
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“We need the public to be aware,” added Paul, “that in the few minutes that they save by rushing to and from a school to deliver and pick-up children, they could also tragically alter, not only their lives, but the lives of others, forever.
“It’s not worth it.”
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