Just like students may need some reminders to prepare for the new school year, so do drivers in Penticton.
The city is reminding drivers to take extra care when they are in school zones, as students return to the classrooms next week.
“Starting Tuesday (Sept. 6), the bylaw officers will resume parking and traffic enforcement around school zones, as they are back in effect and we ask that everyone be aware and slow down,” said Tina Mercier, Penticton’s head of bylaw.
A speed limit of 30 km/h will be in effect from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in school zones, with the city adding that people should give themselves extra time to get to their destination.
With a new school year comes familiar reminders for drivers, issued by both the city and School District 67, for the purpose of keeping all students safe:
• Vehicles approaching from both directions must stop for school buses when their red lights are flashing
• Watch for children, especially near crosswalks and intersections
• Always have your children enter or exit the vehicle onto the sidewalk side of the car
• Never allow children to cross mid-block
• If a vehicle is stopped in front of you or the lane next to you, they may be yielding for a pedestrian, be prepared to stop
Bylaw in Penticton says its presence in school zones next week during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up will be “highly visible.”
“We want to ensure that everyone is safe – students, teachers and the public,” Mercier said. “The message is simple: let’s slow down and make the return to classes a safe one.”
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