NEWS RELEASE
ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE
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TOWN OF NEW TECUMSETH – With the start of a new school year, the Nottawasaga Detachment of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) continues to promote public awareness for both drivers and pedestrians to ensure the safety of all.
The Town of New Tecumseth employs school crossing guards to help elementary children in our community get to and from school safely. It takes teamwork to ensure school crossings are safe places for our children.
The Highway Traffic Act (HTA) Section 176(3) clearly states "Where a school crossing guard displays a school crossing stop sign as provided in subsection (2), the driver of any vehicle or street car approaching the school crossing guard shall stop before reaching the crossing and shall remain stopped until all persons, including the school crossing guard, have cleared the roadway and it is safe to proceed."
The fine for not stopping starts at $365; however there could be more serious ramifications of not stopping as required by law. There could be larger fines issued, criminal and civil proceedings not to mention living with having injured a crossing guard or child. This law is designed to keep our children safe.
The most common errors at school crossings include:
- Drivers not coming to a full stop
- Drivers turning right at intersections when the school crossing guard is still in the intersection
- Drivers proceeding before the school crossing guard has cleared the roadway
- Driver inattentiveness and driver distraction
Friendly reminder for pedestrians and parents:
- Cross only at marked crosswalks or traffic lights. Don't cross in the middle of the block or between parked cars.
- Make sure drivers see you before you cross. If the driver is stopped, make eye contact before you step into the road.
- Wear bright or light coloured clothing or reflective strips, especially at dusk or when it's dark.
- Watch out for blind corners (for example, a car coming out of an alley may not see a child pedestrian about to cross).
- At a traffic light: • Cross when traffic has come to a complete stop.-Begin to cross at the start of the green light or "Walk" signal, where provided.
- Do not start to cross if you see a flashing "Do Not Walk" symbol or the light turns yellow. If you already started to cross, complete your crossing in safety.
- Never cross on a red light.
- Watch for traffic turning at intersections or turning into and leaving driveways.
Friendly reminder for drivers:
- Drivers, including cyclists, must stop and yield the whole roadway at pedestrian crossovers, school crossings and other locations where there is a crossing guard.
- Always look for pedestrians, especially when turning.
- Watch for children. Drive slowly and cautiously through school zones, residential areas, or any other area where children could be walking or playing.
- Watch out for Community Safety Zone signs that indicate areas where public safety is a special concern, including the possibility of encountering pedestrians.
- Be patient, especially with seniors or pedestrians with disabilities who need more time to cross the road
Members of the Nottawasaga OPP will be actively patrolling all the schools in our area while conducting foot, bicycle and mobile patrols to ensure the safety of everyone in our community. Road safety is a shared responsibility, lets all do our part to keep everyone safe.
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