Drivers will need to adjust their habits or face the consequences with the school year to begin next week.
Prince George RCMP's traffic services section will be conducting patrols around schools to help ensure students arrive at school and return home safely every day.
"Each and every school zone will be patrolled and speeding tickets will be issued for anyone not obeying the posted speed limit," RCMP said Thursday.
On days when school is in session, school zone speed limits are 30 km/h from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., unless otherwise posted.
Playground zone speed limits are 30 km/h, from dawn until dusk, every day without exception.
RCMP provided some reasons for why limit is set at 30 km/h:
- Braking distance: Faster cars need more distance to stop in an emergency, like if a child jumped out onto the road.
A vehicle traveling at 60 km/h needs 55 metres to stop. At 30 km/h, the distance falls to 18 metres - a significant difference that could save a life.
- Survival rate: A pedestrian struck by a vehicle traveling 50 km/h has only a 20-per-cent chance of surviving. For someone hit by a vehicle going 30 km/h, the odds improve to 90 per cent.
- More pedestrians: Typically there are more pedestrians in and around school zones increasing the chances of collisions. A slower speed helps reduce the chances of an incident;
- Age of pedestrians: Younger and less-experienced pedestrians are more likely to be in a school zone and more likely to be distracted or forget about safety.
"Ensuring the safety of our children and other vulnerable road users is the responsibility of the community including the police, said Prince George RCMP Sgt. Matt LaBelle. "If members of the community do not obey speed limits and put our children at risk, then we will issue violation tickets"
