Back to SearchThe City of Kitchener is reminding everyone excited for this back-to-school season that serious injuries and deaths due to traffic collisions are preventable, and the best way to eliminate them is to slow down in residential neighbourhoods and school zones.
The City of Kitchener is working to eliminate serious injuries and deaths in our community through our Vision Zero strategy, and you can help us get there by taking your time when driving.
“It’s an exciting time of year to see kids moving through Kitchener on buses, bikes, scooters, mobility devices and on foot to get to school,” said Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic. “They may be distracted, or they may be navigating new spaces for the first time, so in the coming days, I encourage all of us grownups to take a bit of extra care, slow down and exercise some extra caution on area roads.”
Three big highlights to watch out for are school zones, pedestrian crossings and crossing guards on duty.
In school zones:
- School zones do not allow parking or stopping for drop-off. Bylaw enforcement takes a zero-tolerance approach in school zones for the sake of student’s safety.
- School zones in Kitchener have a posted speed limit for a reason – staying under that speed means that collisions are much less likely to result in serious injury.
At pedestrian crossings:
- When you drive or ride up to a crossover and there are pedestrians waiting to cross, you must stop.
- Pedestrians have the right of way, whether flashing lights are on or not. Make sure you wait until they have fully crossed the road before proceeding.
When you see a crossing guard on duty:
- Slow down as you approach.
- Come to a complete stop when the crossing guard raises the stop paddle.
- Please wait until all children and the crossing guard have cleared the entire roadway before proceeding.
“Our crossing guards are suited up and ready for the new season,” said Community & Infrastructure Services Committee chair, Margaret Johnston. “They’re there to help our little ones get to school safely, and you can help them out by following the crossing guards’ instructions to stop.”
No loss of life on our city streets is acceptable. The City of Kitchener is implementing its Vision Zero strategy, a multi-year plan to get there by creating safer streets. By improving how we design our streets, enforce traffic laws and educate our road users, we will help to improve safety. Kitchener adopted the Vision Zero approach in 2022.
For more information, visit kitchener.ca/visionzero.
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For more information, contact:
Shawn Falcao
Manager, Corporate Communication
City of Kitchener
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