Police in Vaudreuil-Dorion have begun their annual pedestrian safety awareness campaign, now that children are back in school.
Police are handing out $100 tickets to motorists who don’t stop at crosswalks or come to a full stop at a stop sign.
Darlene Lenhan admits she’s been guilty of blowing by a stop sign with people waiting on the sidewalk before — and a cop pulled her over for it.
Yet, she’s adamant about the need for safety in front of Trudeau Elementary in Vaudreuil, because the hazards are real.
“Motorists don’t slow down,” she said. “They just fly down the street.”
As she spoke to Global News, police were busy pulling cars over and handing out $100 tickets for not stopping for pedestrians at crosswalks.
Besides handing out tickets to offenders, police will hand out stickers to good drivers they observe.
It’s something the city’s done for about a decade during the period when students head back to school.
“It’s not just a problem around schools,” said Vaudreuil-Dorion Mayor Guy Pilon. “It’s everywhere.”
Drivers are encouraged to make a complete stop when making a right on red at a crosswalk, wait until a student reaches the sidewalk on the other side, and wave pedestrians across crosswalks.
The city’s enforcement blitz is slated to run through October.