West Shore RCMP held the first of several “school zone enforcement blitzes” of the new year Tuesday (Jan. 25) on Helmcken Road in View Royal, to combat speeding in school zones.
The program is a collaboration between RCMP and First Nations Policing, Community Policing, Speed Watch volunteers and ICBC Road Safety, and aims to catch offenders and educate people about the dangers of speeding near schools.
Over 400 vehicles travelled through this school zone near View Royal Elementary during the blitz and 10 violation tickets were issued.
“When children see an approaching car, they first notice the colour of the vehicle – not how fast the vehicle is travelling,” West Shore RCMP Cpl. Alex Berube said in a release. Children younger than eight struggle to perceive whether a car is moving or not, he added, noting they also struggle to estimate how long it will take a car to stop.
The posted speed limit in school zones is 30 km/h and it is applicable on school days between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., unless signs says otherwise. It takes 13 metres for a vehicle travelling at 30 km/h to come to a complete stop, but more than twice that distance when travelling at 50 km/h.
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bailey.moreton@goldstreamgazette.com
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