A group crossing of busy Cook Street in front of George Jay Elementary on Thursday aimed to draw attention to the start of a new school year next week and the return of enforcement in school speed zones.
Victoria Police Chief Del Manak, Education Minister Rob Fleming and Greater Victoria School board chairwoman Jordan Watters each took a child鈥檚 hand to ensure the safety of their young charges.
鈥淚t鈥檚 really important that we, as a community, and drivers in particular monitor their speed, and they鈥檙e aware that there鈥檚 risks on the road with vulnerable road-users and students that are walking to school,鈥� Manak said.
School starts on Tuesday.
Manak, who used to be in the Victoria Police Department鈥檚 traffic division, said he has written thousands of tickets to drivers speeding through school zones. 鈥淪o I鈥檓 well aware of those that disobey school signs.鈥�
Next week, police and speed-watch volunteers will be out providing enforcement and education to ensure drivers keep to speed limits of 30 kilometres per hour in school zones, in effect from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on school days.
Fines begin at $196 for speeds of 31 to 50 km/h, then rise to $253 for speeds of 51-70 km/h, $368 for 71-90 km/h and $483 for more than 90 km/h.
鈥淚鈥檓 asking all of us to do our part,鈥� Manak said. 鈥淢y officers and our speed-watch volunteers will be conducting enforcement and education 鈥� that鈥檚 what our part is.鈥�
Fleming said the road-safety message is especially important given the number of schools situated on busy arterial roads such as Cook Street.
He said slowing down and being safe in school zones 鈥渟eems like something all of us would take to heart and practice each and every day,鈥� but it doesn鈥檛 always happen.
鈥淎round the city, we have way too many examples of near misses, of kids being injured. And of course, we鈥檝e had some tragedies in recent years in British Columbia.鈥�
From 2013 to 2017 on the Island, an average of 12 kids under 18 were hurt in motor-vehicle incidents in school or playground zones, according to ICBC, while in Victoria, 12 children walking or cycling are involved in crashes annually.
In 2017, then 11-year-old Leila Bui suffered severe brain damage when she was hit by a vehicle in a crosswalk at Ash Road and Torquay Drive as she crossed the street to catch a ride to Arbutus Middle School. A 21-year-old North Saanich woman, Tenessa Rayann Lyric Nikirk, has been charged with dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing bodily harm in connection with the crash. She鈥檚 set to go to trial in November.
