The City of Toronto’s Vision Zero Road Safety Plan includes several initiatives aimed at protecting the safety and wellbeing of all students walking, cycling or driving back to school Tuesday morning.
As students make their way back to class, all road users are encouraged to be mindful of their surroundings, share the road, stay alert and obey the rules to ensure everyone’s safety. The message to drivers is simple: Slow down and pay full attention.
The Vision Zero initiatives targeting students are delivered in partnership with Toronto Public Health, Green Communities Canada, Toronto District School Board, Toronto Catholic District School Board and the Toronto Police Service.
The following are Vision Zero initiatives the City is implementing to help protect students, parents and guardians and encourage drivers to slow down and drive safely:
• More than 700 crossing guards – The School Crossing Guard Program is now fully provided by the City of Toronto. This year, there will be 704 locations with school crossing guards, who provide an important service for families in Toronto.
• 199 School Safety Zones – The City has so far installed 136 School Safety Zones around the City and aims to install an additional 63 by year’s end. School Safety Zones include safety signs, pavement markings and stencils, and Watch Your Speed signs which use radar to alert drivers in real-time to their speed and encourage them to slow down.
• 50 Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) locations – As soon as the province approves the necessary regulation, the City will install 50 mobile ASE cameras (two per ward) in school and community safety zones to help slow drivers down in areas where students and vulnerable road users are typically present.
• Five Active and Safe Routes pilot schools – With financial support from Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Partnership for Healthy Cities and the Government of Ontario’s Ontario Active School Travel Fund, and in partnership with Toronto Public Health and Green Communities Canada, the City is expanding the Active and Safe Routes to School pilot program to more locations this year to create safer and walkable neighbourhoods for students.
From today until Friday, September 6, the Toronto Police Service will also be watching specifically for drivers who park illegally, choose to speed, or drive distracted, impaired or aggressively around schools in the city. These behaviours lead to frustration, traffic congestion and an unsafe environment for students.
The City of Toronto’s Safety Guide for School Children and Parents brochure includes important information and advice on walking, cycling, wheeling, driving or taking the bus to and from school. The guide is available at https://www.toronto.ca/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/917a-TS_VisionZero-SchoolChildren-Brochure.pdf.
The Vision Zero Road Safety Plan is a comprehensive action plan that aims to reduce traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries on Toronto’s streets. With more than 50 safety measures across six emphasis areas, the plan prioritizes the safety of the most vulnerable road users: pedestrians, schoolchildren, seniors and cyclists. More information is available at https://www.toronto.ca/visionzero.
Quotes:
“For many students and families in Toronto, the first day of school is a time of excitement, opportunity and growth. Through the City’s Vision Zero Road Safety Plan, we are committed to making our roads safer for all students who travel to and from their school every single day. Please slow down, stay focused and obey the rules of the road.”
– Mayor John Tory
“As students head back to class this Tuesday morning, we remain focused on pushing ahead with the actions that make our roads safer for all pedestrians in the city. I am more than confident that our Vision Zero initiatives will not only improve our infrastructure, but also create an environment that supports the education, development and wellbeing of our students.”
– Councillor James Pasternak (Ward 6 York Centre), Chair of the Infrastructure and Environment Committee
Toronto is Canada’s largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of more than 2.9 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world’s most livable cities. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit http://www.toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/cityoftoronto, on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/cityofto or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/cityofto.