York Regional Police are ensuring drivers know their ABCs on the first day of school today, Sept. 9.
As part of Operation A.B.C. — which stands for Always Be Careful — officers were out educating drivers about new speed limits for school zones and community safety zones on regional roads.
The speed limit has dropped by 10 km/h between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday to Friday from September until June.
For example, on regional roads where the speed limit is 70 km/h, in those areas during that time it is now 60 km/h, where it's 60 km/h it is now 50 km/h, and 50 km/h roads become 40 km/h. Regional roads with a speed limit of 40 km/h will remain that speed in school zones and community safety zones.
Officers were pulling over speeding drivers on Aurora Road in Whitchurch-Stouffville, by Ballantrae Public School, where the speed limit is now 50 km/h during the school day.
Const. Todd Snooks said the focus today was “getting the message out that these are community safety zones, they’re speed zones, (some of them) are changed and the signage is there now.”
New signs highlight the new speed limit and times they're in place. They are the same across all the regional road school zones.
To help educate drivers, instead of issuing tickets to people pulled over, officers distributed postcards with road safety reminders.
Snooks said it’s an important to inform and remind drivers after school has been out for a while.
“Obviously it’s important every new school year because everybody’s had two months normally for the summer break, but obviously with our COVID change and almost a year in and out, in and out... that is one focus for today,” he said.
Snooks also said he wants to remind drivers that the posted speed limit is a maximum and only for ideal conditions.
“When you’re entering a zone like a community safety zone, or you’re entering an area like a school, your ideal conditions drop not from a weather standpoint but from an observing standpoint of being able to see everything that’s happening and going on,” he said. “So making sure you’re staying under that maximum limit allows you to be able to visualize things.”
He added, “If somebody is slowing down or stopping in front of you, there’s probably a reason, so be patient, don’t go around them because they’re probably seeing something you’re not and that’s where tragedy happens. People are inpatient and putting themselves ahead of what’s going on around them.”
Police said there are approximately 35 of the zones throughout York Region.
Snooks said the operation runs until the end of October, with plans to hit every school zone in the next two months.
