OPP and Peterborough Police Service to Increase Traffic Enforcement In School Zones In Peterborough County
/The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and Peterborough Police Service (PPS) will increase traffic enforcement in Peterborough County school zones this fall.
Photo by David Tuan Bui.
“As the new school year begins, the Peterborough County OPP reminds drivers to stay alert,” said Chris Galeazza, OPP inspector/detachment commander. “With children returning to sidewalks, crossing guards at intersections, and school buses back on the roads, safety needs to be every driver's top priority. Please plan for potential delays and exercise patience and caution to ensure a safe journey for all.”
“Back-to-school is an exciting time. We want it to be a safe time as well whether students are walking, cycling or taking the bus,” said Stuart Betts, Peterborough Police Chief. “There are new traffic calming measures in place and the City of Peterborough has deemed school zones as Community Safety Zones, which come with slower speeds and increased fines. We ask motorists to slow down, be extra vigilant as well as patient as we see the return of students, crossing guards and school buses for the school year.”
This enforcement is in partnership with Peterborough County, The Township of Cavan Monaghan, The Township of Selwyn, and The Municipality of Trent Lakes.
“As Fall begins, school bells will ring, yellow buses will hit the roads and young students will be crossing streets to get to and from school,” said Bonnie Clark, Peterborough County Warden. “In Peterborough County, our roads are shared by cars, trucks, farm vehicles, school buses, cyclists, pedestrians, and more. Please drive with caution; stay alert, leave early, stop for buses, give room to cyclists, and yield at pedestrian crossings. Thank you to our local police services for your support with enforcement in school zones this Fall. Let’s all do our part to ensure a successful and safe school year for all students.”
The County reminds drivers to take extra precautions as school buses return to the roads. This includes slowing down in school zones, planning to leave early, giving at least one metre of clearance to cyclists and stopping for school buses.
The OPP and Peterborough Police Service would like to remind motorists of the following:
You must stop for stopped school buses with lights flashing.
Speeding in a school zone can result in fines and demerit points.
Crossing guards have the right to stop traffic at crosswalks – abide by their direction.
Motorists must wait until the crossing guard is no longer on the roadway before proceeding.
