As students make their way to and from class, there is more pedestrian and vehicular traffic on the road. It is important for drivers, parents and children to be alert, follow the rules of the road, and walk safely – especially in school zones.

The City of Vaughan is reminding everyone to take extra precautions around crosswalks, pedestrian crossovers, stopped school buses, school zones and intersections. 

Tips for pedestrians of all ages: 

• Walk young children to school.
• Encourage children to always obey the 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.
• Be mindful of slippery conditions on sidewalks and roadways.
• Tips for drivers and cyclists:
• Reduce speed in school zones, especially when slippery conditions are present, and be ready to stop at all times.
• Ensure to 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 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.
• Abide by all parking and traffic regulations in school zones.
• Obey crossing guard signals and yield to pedestrians.
• Pay attention to the surroundings. Watch for and yield the whole roadway to pedestrians when approaching a pedestrian crossover. Failing to do so may result in fines of up to $1,000 and four demerit points.
• Avoid distraction within the vehicle and ensure children are secured in a correctly installed child restraint seat.
• Ensure children exit by the passenger side of the vehicle.
• Keep fire routes and bus zones clear.
• 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.
• Avoid double parking in school zones.
• Watch for signs indicating "No Stopping" and "No Parking."
• Stay back 0.6 metres (or two feet) from private driveways to avoid upsetting residents. 

As part of the Speed Compliance Program for school zones, speed signs will continue to be installed at elementary school locations throughout the city for two-week intervals. This is to help motorists be more conscious of their travel speed and promote road safety. The program continues to expand locations with the addition of more speed boards. This is an ongoing initiative that will continue throughout the 2021/22 school year.

School zone safety is a joint priority for the City of Vaughan’s Transportation and Fleet Management Services and By-law and Compliance, Licensing and Permit Services departments as well as Vaughan Fire and Rescue Service. Together with York Regional Police, York Region, York Region District School Board and York Catholic District School Board, the City is working to ensure the safety of all members of the community.

Additional resources can be found here:

• School Zone Safety - Postcard (PDF)
• School Zone Parking and Driving Regulations - Brochure (PDF)