Back To School Safety

Back To School Safety

Back To School Safety

School zone and playground zone speed limits are 30 km/h during set times. Help keep everyone safe: obey all speed limits and watch for children crossing.

As of September 2018, all school zones in Strathcona County are in effect from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on school days.

Playground zones remain unchanged at 30 km/h and are in effect daily starting at 8:30 a.m. and ending one hour after sunset.

Why 30 km/h?

A pedestrian struck by a car traveling at 50 km/h is eight times more likely to be killed than a pedestrian struck at 30 km/h.

This change reflects the need to drive with care when children are at school. All-day zones reduce driver confusion around effective hours. These changes will also provide reduced speed limits on early dismissal days and for rural schools with earlier start and dismissal times.

Back to school safety

  • Watch for school safety patrollers and stop as directed.
  • Watch for kids between parked vehicles and on the sidewalk.
  • Use caution when approaching intersections or mid-block crosswalks. Parked or stopped vehicles may hide a pedestrian crossing the road. 
  • Do not park within five metres of a crosswalk, whether marked or unmarked.

Driving tips around school buses

  • Alternating flashing yellow or amber lights mean a bus is slowing down to stop. Do the same.
  • When approaching a school bus with red lights flashing, you must stop! The fine for passing a school bus with its red lights flashing is $543 and six demerit points.
  • School buses use the flashing red lights and stop signs in rural areas of Strathcona County, including residential estate areas such as Balmoral and Sherwood Park Golf Course.
  • Always watch for children crossing roads. Prepare to slow down and stop.