Majority of Manitoba parents concerned by school zone safety: survey

Speeding and traffic congestion are the top concerns for parents when it comes to safety in school zones.

This is according to a new survey from CAA Manitoba, which found that 94 per cent of Manitoba parents have at least one concern regarding school zone safety.

“We want to remind motorists that they need to be extra vigilant as students return to school this week,” said Ewald Friesen, CAA Manitoba’s manager of government and community relations, in a news release.

“Kids will be excited to see their friends and teachers and may fail to check their surroundings before stepping out onto the street.”

The survey found that 32 per cent of parents are concerned by speeding; Thirty per cent are worried by traffic congestion near schools; Twenty-six per cent cited lack of street/school parking as a concern.

Other worries include illegal parking, jaywalkers, distracted pedestrians and drivers, and drivers not following traffic signs.

CAA notes that due to these concerns, many parents opt to drive their children to school, which worsens traffic congestion.

“While there are always parents who must drive their children to school, we do encourage parents and students to try other modes of transportation to get to class,” Friesen said.

“Things like walking, biking and skateboarding are great exercise and lots of fun, and fewer cars will help alleviate parents’ concerns.”

The survey also found that parents would like to see solutions to these school zone safety issues, including improved road infrastructure, more police enforcement and crossing guards, as well as road safety education for parents and students.

To ensure safety, CAA Manitoba offers the following tips for driving in school zones:

• Slow down and follow the speed limit;
• Follow the rules of the road near school buses. This includes stopping for a stopped school bus with its upper flashing lights and stop arm activated;
• Choose a safe location to drop off and pick up your kids;
• Make eye contact with pedestrians crossing the road;
• Watch for CAA school safety patrollers; and
• Follow school zone rules to avoid fines. Some offences include speeding, and passing a bus with its lights flashing and stop sign activated.

As part of this study, 613 parents/guardians were surveyed. The margin of error is plus-minus four per cent at the 95 per cent confidence level.