Let’s work together to keep kids safe this summer

Put safety in the driver’s seat this summer! With kids out of school, they’ll be spending more time outdoors in our community. The City of Vaughan is reminding all road users – including drivers, cyclists and pedestrians – that road safety is a shared responsibility. 

However you choose to travel throughout Vaughan, follow these tips to help keep Vaughan’s streets safe all summer and beyond.

For drivers:

• Obey the rules of the road, including posted speed limits, “No Stopping” and “No Parking” signs, and yield to those walking when you approach a pedestrian crossover.
• Pay attention to your surroundings. Watch for, stop and yield to pedestrians when approaching a pedestrian crossover. 
• Expect the unexpected. Children may cross the street without a crosswalk, forget to look both ways, chase a ball into the street or ride a bike in front of a vehicle without warning.
• Enter and exit driveways and laneways with extra caution.
• Avoid distractions within the vehicle and ensure children are secured in a correctly installed child restraint seat if required.
• Ensure children exit on the passenger side of the vehicle.
• Leave nine metres (30 feet) between your car and crosswalks and/or stop signs when parking. Parking too close to these objects makes it difficult to see children crossing the road.
• Check weather and road conditions before leaving home or work. If the weather is bad, allow extra travel time to get to your destination or wait until conditions improve.

For cyclists and pedestrians:

• Put devices down, keep heads up and walk, don’t run, when crossing the street.
• Cross at designated crosswalks, crossovers or controlled intersections.
• Pay attention to vehicular traffic. Look left and right before crossing and keep looking as you cross.
• Teach children to make eye contact with drivers before crossing in front of them and watch for moving vehicles in driveways and lanes.
• Obey all traffic rules and signals. When riding your bike – keep to the right, use proper hand signals, obey traffic lights and stop signs, and let pedestrians know you’re approaching them by using a bell or horn. 
• Ensure you are visible to drivers by wearing reflective clothing or carrying something bright, especially during low light or dark conditions. 
• Be mindful of slippery conditions on sidewalks and roadways.
• Avoid riding bikes through puddles. Potholes and other road conditions can be hidden underneath. 

Road safety is an ongoing priority for the City of Vaughan. Through the MoveSmart Mobility Management Strategy (MoveSmart), the City continues to work toward ensuring safer streets for our most vulnerable road users through initiatives such as the Active School Travel program, the Safer School Zones Plan and the School Crossing Guard program, among others.

Let’s all work together to keep Vaughan’s roads safe for everyone. To learn more about these initiatives, visit vaughan.ca/MoveSmart.

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