A new academic year means students—and parents—are rushing to get to the schoolyard before the morning bell rings. But one very important lesson is learning to drive cautiously in school zones. It’s every driver’s responsibility to obey traffic laws that help protect everyone, including the 219,000-plus elementary and secondary students in Manitoba who commute to and from school.

You can help reduce school-zone congestion (and the potential for a collision) by encouraging kids to walk or bike with a buddy, if possible. Make sure they’re familiar with the route by doing a dry run with them if it’s their first time getting to school on their own, and be sure to point out crosswalks and stop signs along the way. If your local school has the CAA School Safety Patrol® program, you should see Patrollers helping to ensure the roadway at the school is clear before kids can cross.

Rain or shine, Patrollers show up to help promote road-safety awareness in their community. Each year, approximately 8,500 student volunteers across Manitoba participate in the program. Not only are these young leaders helping other kids get to school safely, they’re also learning about teamwork and the importance of caring for others—lessons that are setting them up to be active contributors to their communities for life.

Safety in Numbers

Check out these stats from the 2023 CAA School Zone Safety Survey.

92% of parents report having seen unsafe driving behaviours in school zones, especially speeding, double parking and stopping at undesignated areas.

School buses (36%) and cars (35%) are the primary modes of transportation to and from school for children across the province.

9 out of 10 parents surveyed experience traffic congestion around their child’s school.

Visit schoolpatrolmanitoba.com for more information on the CAA School Safety Patrol program.