Students are back in class – drive safely!

School days can cause traffic congestion: children on bikes are hurrying to class, guardians are rushing to drop their children off before work, school buses are lined up to pick up and drop off students. Keep road safety top of mind – slow down, and pay attention when students are nearby! 

The City of Vaughan is providing safety tips for drivers when travelling to, from or throughout school zone areas: 

• Reduce speed in school zones, especially when slippery conditions are present, and be ready to stop at all times.
• 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 oncoming 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 your surroundings. Watch for, stop and yield the whole roadway to pedestrians when approaching a pedestrian crossover. Failing to do so may result in fines from York Regional Police of up to $1,000 and four demerit points.
• Avoid distractions within the vehicle and ensure children are secured in a correctly installed child restraint seat if required.
• Ensure children exit on 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. 

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

Visit vaughan.ca/SchoolZoneSafety for more information. 

#SlowDownVaughan 

Play an important role in urging your community to drive safely and obey speed limits on City roads through the City’s #SlowDownVaughan initiative. There are many ways you can participate:

• Place a #SlowDownVaughan sign on your lawn. Pick up a sign at Vaughan community centres (excluding Garnet A. Williams Community Centre while it remains closed temporarily for renovations) and the three Vaughan Public Libraries Resource Libraries – Bathurst Clark, Civic Centre and Pierre Berton. Signs are produced by the City and are free to Vaughan residents.
• Download (PDF) and print a #SlowDownVaughan sign to hang in your window. 
• Post about this initiative on your social media platforms using the hashtag #SlowDownVaughan (supporting graphics are available on the City’s website).

Making the commitment to #SlowDownVaughan and adjusting your driving habits may save a life. To learn more about this city-wide campaign, visit vaughan.ca/SlowDownVaughan. 

Speed Limit Policy 

Approved by Council on June 2, 2021 (PDF), the Speed Limit Policy sets and adjusts appropriate speed limits throughout the City’s street network to continue to ensure a safe community for all road users and address growing urbanization as more cars are anticipated to be on the roads. As part of the City’s MoveSmart Mobility Management Strategy, the policy is exclusive to municipal roads and focuses on four areas within Vaughan’s road network: rural roadways, built-up/urban areas (including school zones), public laneways and select neighbourhoods. Evidence suggests that lowering speed limits, especially in residential areas, can effectively reduce the risk of severe injury or even death due to a motor vehicle accident. 

Below are areas where the City has reduced speed limits to date:

• Select neighbourhood areas will be reduced from 50 kilometres per hour to 40 kilometres per hour by fall 2022.
• Public laneways were reduced to 30 kilometres per hour on Dec. 1, 2021.
• School zones were reduced from 50 to 40 kilometres per hour on Sept. 8, 2021.
  

For more information and updates on the City’s Speed Limit Policy, visit vaughan.ca/SpeedPolicy. 

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