Now that winter is in full swing, road safety matters more than ever. Snow and ice can make driving difficult, so the City of Vaughan is urging commuters and pedestrians to follow the rules of the road, obey speed limits and drive safely according to the conditions.

Drivers, pedestrians, and children need to be alert and follow the rules of the road. Take extra precautions around crosswalks, pedestrian crossovers, stopped buses, snowplows, schools and intersections.

Tips for drivers: 

• Check weather and road conditions before leaving home or work. You may need to allow extra travel time or wait until conditions improve.
• Keep a safe distance from snowplows and salting equipment.  
• Reduce speed in school zones and be ready to stop at all times.
• Give yourself enough time to get to your destination without the need for speed.
• Expect the unexpected. Children may cross the street at the wrong place, run into oncoming traffic or ride a bike in front of a vehicle without warning.
• Stop for school buses and be aware of children running in front of or behind buses.
• Avoid U-turns in school zones.
• Do not pass other vehicles in a school zone.
• Obey the rules of the road, including posted speed limits.
• Obey crossing guard signals and yield to pedestrians.
• Pay attention to your surroundings. Watch for, stop and yield the whole roadway to pedestrians when approaching a pedestrian crossover. (Failing to do so may result in fines from York Regional Police of up to $1,000 and four demerit points.)
• Leave nine metres (or 29 feet) between the car and the crosswalks and/or stop signs when parking. Parking too close to these locations makes it difficult to see children when crossing the road.

Tips for pedestrians:

• Be mindful of slippery conditions on sidewalks and roadways.
• Walk young children to school.
• Encourage children to always obey crossing guards.
• Walk, don’t run, when crossing the street.
• Pay attention to vehicular traffic while walking along or crossing roads.
• Obey all traffic rules and signals.
• Ensure you are visible to drivers and cyclists and make eye contact once they have stopped before crossing.
• Cross at designated crosswalks, crossovers or controlled intersections only.

#SlowDownVaughan

Play a part in encouraging drivers to obey speed limits with the City’s new campaign: #SlowDownVaughan. Vaughan residents can post a #SlowDownVaughan sign on their lawn, in their windows or on their social media profiles to encourage the public to slow down while driving on City roads. They can also make it their New Year’s resolution and post on the City’s online platform why they are committed to driving carefully.

Lawn signs are available for curbside pickup at community centres (excluding Garnet A. Williams Community Centre) and the three Vaughan Public Libraries Resource Libraries – Bathurst Clark, Civic Centre and Pierre Berton. Citizens can also download print-at-home window signs or social media graphics at vaughan.ca/SlowDownVaughan. Signs are produced by the City and are free to Vaughan residents.

Citizens are also encouraged to show support for safe driving by sharing pictures of their signs and using the hashtag #SlowDownVaughan on social media. Visit vaughan.ca/SlowDownVaughan for more information on this initiative, including details on how to participate.

Speed Limit Policy

Approved by Council on June 2, 2021 (PDF), the Speed Limit Policy sets and adjusts appropriate speed limits throughout the City’s street network to continue to ensure a safe community for all road users and address growing urbanization as more cars are anticipated to be on the roads. As part of the City’s MoveSmart Mobility Management Strategy, the policy is exclusive to municipal roads and focuses on four areas within Vaughan’s road network: rural roadways, built-up/urban areas (including school zones), public laneways and select neighbourhoods. Evidence suggests that lowering speed limits, especially in residential areas, can be effective in reducing the risk of severe injury or even death due to a motor vehicle accident.

Below are areas where the City has reduced speed limits to date:

• Public laneways were reduced to 30 kilometres per hour on Dec. 1, 2021.
• School zones were reduced from 50 to 40 kilometres per hour on Sept. 8, 2021.

For more information and updates on the City’s Speed Limit Policy, visit vaughan.ca/SpeedPolicy.

Those who feel unwell, and believe they have symptoms related to COVID-19, should contact York Region Public Health at 1-800-361-5653 or Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000. For additional information and resources on the virus, visit York Region's website at york.ca/COVID19.

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