The Fort St John RCMP wish you a very safe back to school!

The Fort St John RCMP would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that today marks schools are back in session. Everyone who drives a vehicle will see the roads have gotten busier and you see more pedestrians out. Parents are in a rush to get their kids to school on time and get themselves to work. Kids are racing to school with toast in hand so they are not late and the rural driver now has a big yellow bus back on the roads slowing them down on the way to work. The best way to deal with all of this is to slow down, plan ahead by adding a little more time to your travel schedule!

Did you know that 6 students are killed and 380 students are injured in collisions each year in BC, while walking or cycling?

Reviewing the penalties for speeding in school zones and passing school buses might just save you a couple of bucks and maybe even a life.

Speeding
The penalty for speeding in a school zone is higher than regular speeding fines. BC school zone speed limits are 30 km/h from 8am to 5pm. Speeding exceeded by less than 21 km/hr, starts at $196.00 and three demerit points. If someone is in a real hurry and they are traveling between 21 to 40 km/h over the limit the penalty jumps to $253.00 and three demerit points.

School buses
When school buses activate their red flashing lights and their Stop arm extended, this mean the same thing as an actual stop sign. The red flashing lights signal the loading and unloading of students. The penalty for passing a school bus with red lights flashing is $368.00 and 3 demerit points.

High school N drivers
A reminder this year to all N driver students at North Peace Secondary School that you must display your N as part of the restrictions of your driver’s licence. Also you are only allowed 1 other passenger as part of your driver’s licence restrictions so don’t load your vehicle up at lunch or after school and hit the road with a full vehicle. N drivers can be issued $109 violation tickets for both offences.

Pedestrians/cyclists
Many of our school students walk to school or drive their bikes. Parents remind students not to dart into traffic and to make it a practise to use crosswalks, follow direction of crossing guards and to look both directions and make eye contact with drivers when they need to cross roadways to ensure that they see the drivers and are seen by the driver.

Cyclists, please ensure you wear your helmets when you ride and walk your bike across any crosswalks or roadways.

Cell phones
It is always an offence to drive while using your cell phone (or any electronic device) which is a ticketable offence of $368 dollars for the first offence with each subsequent offence costing more. Even being distracted for a couple of seconds with the additional buses, vehicles, pedestrian and cycling students can be the difference between a safe drive or a collision.

Expect to see additional police patrolling the school zones in efforts to keep the roads safe for students and drivers. Slowing down while driving through school zones and exercising patience while waiting for school buses to load and unload is the best way to protect school aged children as well as your finances this school year!