Today is the long-awaited first day of school for thousands of children across the province.
Students and staff will have to handle all the COVID-19 related challenges such as mask wearing, physical distancing, and proper hand hygiene.
The OPP wants to ensure everyone gets to and from school safely.
Some tips include crossing at crosswalks or traffic lights or with crossing guards, drivers need to watch more carefully for students and travel slower in school zones, and always watch for flashing bus lights.
Safety tips for drivers & cyclists:
- Always drive with caution and watch for pedestrians waiting to cross, especially when turning
- Watch for children
- Drive slowly and cautiously through school zones, residential areas and any other areas where children are at play
- Try to make eye contact with the pedestrian to ensure they see you
- Allow the pedestrian to cross the entire width of the road before moving ahead
- Do not pass any other vehicle within 30 metres of a pedestrian crossover.
- Cyclists should dismount and walk their bike across when crossing.
Some safety tips for pedestrians:
- Cross only at marked crosswalks or traffic lights
- Do not cross mid-block or between parked cars
- Never cross on a red light
- Do not start to cross if you see a flashing “Do Not Walk” symbol or if the light turns yellow
- If you already started to cross and the “Do Not Walk” symbol starts flashing, complete your crossing safely
- If there is a push button at the crosswalk, press it to activate the flashing lights
- Make eye contact with the drivers on both sides of the road before your cross
- Only cross when traffic has come to a complete stop and you feel it is safe to cross
