Police, parents urge caution on roadways as students head back to school
Parents and police are warning drivers to slow down as students head back to school this week.
The South Simcoe Police Service is once again running its annual "All Hands on Deck" Campaign.
Starting on Tuesday, there will be an increased police presence in all school zones in Bradford and Innisfil to help kids make it to school safely.
"We're basically looking for safety compliance for speeding, stop signs, distracted driving, any impaired incidents, just making sure that kids are going to school and there's a safe environment for everybody," said Paul Catling, South Simcoe Police Constable.
Constable Catling said the safety initiative also involves an education component and traffic enforcement.
"We've been doing this campaign year after year and we've had great success and great response from the community as well," Catling added. "Just having that police presence in the school zones really slows traffic down, keeps everybody safe both the students and drivers."
Grade 7 students Quin Jewell and Ella Lawson have had run-ins with speedy drivers.
"One time I was walking to school and this lady was turning into the school parking lot and she didn't turn her blinker on so I thought she was just turning that way, going the other way and she almost hit me," Jewell said.
"There was this one time I was walking to school and there was this red car and it came zooming past me and I was so close to being hit," added Lawson.
In most school zones, the speed limit is 30-40 kilometres an hour.
"Just want everybody to have a safe couple weeks back to school and have that continue throughout the school year," says Catling.
Drivers are reminded to watch and stop for all school buses with their stop arm activated and lights flashing.
Police are also encouraging parents to take extra morning time to avoid a last-minute rush to drop off children.
The campaign will run until September 16th.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Person on fire outside Trump's hush money trial rushed away on a stretcher
A person who was on fire in a park outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump’s hush money trial is taking place has been rushed away on a stretcher.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Tropical fish stolen from Beachburg, Ont. restaurant found and returned
Ontario Provincial Police have landed a suspect following a fishy theft in Beachburg, Ont.
U.S. FAA launches investigation into unauthorized personnel in cockpit of Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto
The U.S.’s Federal Aviation Administration is investigating a video that appears to show unauthorized personnel in the cockpit of a charted Colorado Rockies flight to Toronto.