Back To School Fever - Keeping Our Children Safe

Written by Chief Rick Hanson

Fall is an exciting time for parents and kids alike; it’s back to school, and time to hit the books. But while kids are focused on fun and learning, they also need to concentrate on safety – especially on their way to and from school.

Look both ways. Stop, look, and listen. Point, pause and proceed. These easy to remember mantras are great tools to use when teaching your child how to safely cross the road. Let your school-aged children know they should use crosswalks, and they should not ride their bikes or skateboards across the street.

The more serious traffic safety issues usually arise from aggressive or complacent drivers, adults practicing poor safety habits in front of children (such as jay-walking), and parents parking their vehicles in inappropriate locations. It is important for us, as adults, to follow the rules of the road, and to show our kids how to do the same.

Kids need to understand that sometimes drivers make mistakes, and may not see them, so it is up to them to cross safely.The speed limit in school zones is 30 kilometres per hour every school day from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Parents can help increase traffic safety near schools by parking only in designated locations when dropping off or picking up their children. For more information on road and driving safety, visit the Calgary Police Service website at calgarypolice.ca and click on the Traffic Safety section. 

Becoming a school patrol is a wonderful way for students to learn about safety, and to help out their fellows.  Kids participating or active in school patrols learn life-long skills, such as responsibility, accountability, teamwork, and leadership.

In performing their duties, they build confidence, set a positive example for others, learn about the law, and become contributing members of their school. There are 192 schools and more than 7,607 school patrollers in the AMA Calgary region and over 550 schools and 17,000 patrollers enrolled across the province. And the School Patrols work, there has not been a serious injury or death in a patrolled crosswalk since the program began in Alberta in 1937.

The major partners in the Calgary region School Safety Patrol program include the Alberta Motor Association (AMA), Calgary and area school boards and the Calgary Police Service. Visit our website at calgarypolice.ca for information on how to get involved in the School Safety Patrol program.

 It is up to us, as parents, to work to build a strong future for our children; to teach them and protect them. We need to work together to build and maintain a safe community for our children to grow up in - they are the faces of tomorrow.

 

Rick Hanson is the Chief of Police for the Calgary Police Service.