With students and teachers heading back to school, drivers are asked to watch out for those travelling along streets to school.
Michaela Solomon, the communications consultant for media relations at SGI, says there's plenty to watch out for at this time of the year.
"Classrooms are filling up for another busy school season. That means school zones are pretty busy with lots of activities, including pedestrians, children, vehicles, and school buses. We just want to remind everybody to be aware of the posted speed limit in those school zones in your community, and their hours of operation. Pay lots of attention to the road in front of you and be prepared to come to a safe and controlled stop for those kids."
Some areas will also see rules of the road change with the school season, and Solomon asks that people be aware of how the laws work in their area.
"It really depends on where you live. In different cities, the rules are different depending on the bylaw. So that means in some cities, the school zone may only be in effect during the school year. In Regina, where I live, the school zones are in effect all year round, including the summer, including the weekend."
"If you're travelling out of your hometown or out of where you live, be aware of what the rules are in the communities you're going to be travelling through as well."
It's more than just pedestrians that'll be on the street, as school bus fleets are firing back up for another year. Solomon says rules around buses also vary by municipality, but there are still some best practices to know.
"We just want to remind drivers to know what the rules are around school zones in your community. I think a good rule of thumb is to stay back, give them lots of room. Be very careful of children who may be coming on and off that school bus, crossing the street around those school buses. And of course, when those red lights are flashing, those stop arms are out, if those are applicable in your community, just stay back until it's safe to proceed."
Parents can also make sure their children are safe as the school season begins.
"We just want parents to make sure they're dropping their kids off in the designated drop-off zone and talk to their kids about how to safely cross the street. We know sometimes, no matter how hard we try, kids get a little too excited and might run out on the road," said Solomon. "That's why it's important for us as the adults in the community to take extra caution to make sure we're slowing down, paying attention and keeping them safe."
Solomon invites people to learn more about school zone safety on their website, sgi.sk.ca, and to drive slowly and safely this school season.