It’s back to school time! Some quick safety tips!

It’s that time of year again when everyone is uttering those three words nearly every child dreads: back to school. As summer holidays wrap up in Sherwood Park for another year, it’s important for everyone to be mindful of the great children of the community and take some safety precautions.

One important thing is for drivers to remember that school zones are in effect once again. While the schools have been absent of children for the past couple months, they’ll soon be crawling with kids, so stay alert. All school zones in Strathcona County have a speed limit of 30 km/h and they are in effect on school days from 8 a.m. until 9:30 a.m., then from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 a.m., and again from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Playground zones will remain in effect as well. They are also 30 km/h zones and start at 8:30 a.m. and run until one hour after sunset.

If you are dropping your child off at school, be sure to learn the school’s rules for picking up and dropping off. Also be sure to watch for crosswalks and obey all crossing guards. It’s important to remember that pedestrians have the right of way in a crosswalk.

School buses will also be back on the road and they require caution. If you see alternating flashing yellow or amber lights, that means the bus is slowing down and you should do the same. If you see a bus with a flashing red light, you must stop! Passing a school bus with its red lights on will net you a $543 fine and six demerit points. School buses use red lights and stop signs in rural areas of Strathcona County and residential estate areas.

Back to school is an exciting time for many kids (and many parents too I’m sure!) so let’s make sure it is safe for everyone!

Warmest regards,

Sonia