'Keep kids safe': Police and SGI offer safety reminders as Sask. children return to school

Yorkton, Sask. -

It was the first day of school for thousands of students across the province on Thursday.

The increased traffic of school buses and students walking to school prompted some safety reminders from SGI and police.

"It's important for all motorist to do what we can to keep kids safe. That means obeying school zone speed limits,” said Tyler McMurchy with SGI.

McMurchy said staying within the speed limit can be an expensive lesson.

“If you're travelling 20 kilometers over the speed limit, that's a $310 ticket and three demerits,” he said.

The Regina Police Service (RPS) had four officers specifically assigned to patrol school zones on Thursday.

"When you’re travelling at 50 km/h, your reaction time and the vehicles ability to stop is roughly 35 meters,” said Cpl. Mark Golaiy of the RPS Traffic Safety Unit. “The 30km/h zone was decided on because it cuts that distance in half. It's roughly 16-17 meters for that vehicle to stop."

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In Regina and Saskatoon, the maximum speed limit is 30 km/h, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week, all-year-around.

In Yorkton, a new bylaw came into effect on Sept. 1. In elementary school zones, the speed limit dropped from 40km/h to 30km/h, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

In high school zones, the limit remains at 40km/h, with hours extended from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The Yorkton RCMP said they will patrol the school zones this week, for the purpose of education.

"We're in the school zones, we're out there, we're monitoring, but we're not out there to be heavy handed. We want everyone to understand what the laws are, so they obey them," said staff sergeant Burton Jones, with the Yorkton RCMP.

Jones said it’s also important for parents and caregivers to educate their children on road safety.

"Take them back and forth, show them a safe route, practice it, show them to use crosswalks, don't be jaywalking, don’t be going out between cars,” he said.

Jones said it’s common for pedestrians, including children, to look down at their phone while walking. He recommends a person look up when they are at a crosswalk and make eye contact with the vehicle that has stopped.

When it comes down to it, it’s a lesson that was taught in Kindergarten, pay attention and follow the rules.