Photo by Vince Fedoroff
BACK TO SCHOOL – The second Back to School Safety Fair was held this morning. Several enthusiastic kids toured the variety of safety and transportation vehicles at the event.
Photo by Vince Fedoroff
BACK TO SCHOOL – The second Back to School Safety Fair was held this morning. Several enthusiastic kids toured the variety of safety and transportation vehicles at the event.
As students get set to head off to schools around the territory, RCMP officers are set to be out in full force, enforcing school zone restrictions.
As students get set to head off to schools around the territory, RCMP officers are set to be out in full force, enforcing school zone restrictions.
Inspector Archie Thompson issued the warning for motorists to use caution and follow the speed limits for school zones at the Yukon government’s Back to School Safety Fair held today outside the Yukon Transportation Museum.
This marks the second year for the fair offering local youngsters an opportunity to get inside and have a look at heavy equipment, emergency vehicles, buses and off-road vehicles. It also gives those who drive the vehicles an opportunity to let kids know their roles and how to stay safe.
Thompson was among the officials to address the crowd of more than 70 who came out for the fair this morning. While many of those present were youngsters anxious to get inside the fire truck, RCMP vehicle and others stationed at the event, and perhaps hear a siren or two blare, the caregivers gathered for the speeches learned that last year local RCMP doled out 134 tickets in the 2015/2016 school year to those caught speeding through a school zone. And those tickets range anywhere from $50 to $230, with the fine increasing with each 15 km/hr over the speed limit.
This year, he emphasized, RCMP will “continue strictly enforcing” school zone restrictions.
He stressed the need to yield to pedestrians and be vigilant at crosswalks.
Everyone has a role to play in safety, he said also issuing tips to students, parents and others.
Those who are walking, he said, should stay on sidewalks where they are an option and cross the street at designated crosswalks, stopping, looking both ways and making eye contact with drivers before they cross. If there is no sidewalk available, pedestrians need to walk on the left side of the road so they are visible to any oncoming traffic.
Before sending their little ones off to school, parents should also make sure their youngsters know their address and at least home phone number.
Also on-hand at the safety fair was Education Minister Doug Graham who noted this year’s annual safety campaign is largely focused on slowing drivers down.
The Department of Education is working to make sure students are safe not just while they are at school, but also on the way to and from school.
He then asked that drivers respect the speed limits and drive at or below the 30-kilometre speed limit in school zones, pointing out there are about 2,000 students who attend public schools in Whitehorse alone.
Highways and Public Works Minister Scott Kent also emphasized the need to keep roads and vehicles safe, pointing out that 86 per cent of car seats in the country are not installed properly.
He then noted the free inspections offered by the territory to help keep kids safe and announced four winners of an RESP draw held for those who had had their car seats inspected.
Throughout the morning and early afternoon fair, Elizabeth Beecroft and other government employees were on-hand to talk to students and parents about safety and send the youngsters out on a treasure hunt.
Maps were passed out with each participating agency - RMCP, fire, school buses, EMS and others providing a sticker on the map to each visitor. At each station, the youngsters got to visit a vehicle and learn a bit about safety. Once they collected all the stickers on the map they returned to collect a prize - a water bottle.
Elizabeth Beecroft, the territory’s manager of road safety, explained the fair began last year out of the department's annual advertising campaign for the back-to-school season.
When the idea of an education campaign aimed directly at children came up, work got underway to bring the many agencies together for the event and give children a chance to learn firsthand about safety.
Beecroft said she was pleased to see more than 70 people begin their treasure hunt this morning.
Among them was Darian Thrasher, who’s set to start Kindergarten next week.
As he anxiously waited in line to see the inside of a fire truck, his mom Jennifer Behan said the family has been talking and working to make sure he knows how to be safe heading off to school - looking both ways before crossing the street and so on.
The fair, she said, was a great way to learn for her son to learn about safety and the different jobs of those who keep people safe - bylaw officers who were on-hand to talk about ATVs, bicycles and helmet safety, bus drivers, RCMP, ambulance attendants and fire fighters among others.
While some schools in a few communities are back in session, most schools in the territory are set to open their doors to students next week.
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Comments (3)
Up 9 Down 1
Erik Nielsen on Aug 25, 2016 at 7:38 pm
I see that Scott and Doug missed discussing anything about the main problem with traffic in these school zones. That is parking at intersections within the school zone is allowed too close to the intersection which cuts off traffic and line of site to students using x-walk. More yellow paint on the curbs at these inter sections please.
Up 5 Down 2
Kelley Merilees on Aug 25, 2016 at 6:49 pm
It's fantastic to see multiple safety organizations come together on such an important initiative. Well done Yukon!
Up 6 Down 6
Josey Wales on Aug 25, 2016 at 5:00 pm
Thanks for the reminder about safety for the wee ones heading back.
That said do not forget to remind the enablers to turn a blind eye, play their R.O.L.E. In our community decay....by ignoring all the public drunkards loitering about.
We really should give the next generation a hope of some safety and peace with decay omnipresent for those that choose to look.
How? By enforcing laws currently on the books, ditching the race goggles and clean this town up.