Alberta RCMP issues back-to-school road safety reminders
With classes underway, Mounties are urging families and drivers alike to take extra care around schools, buses and crosswalks.
Why it matters
The reminders come as increased foot and vehicle traffic around schools raises the risk of pedestrian collisions each September.
Alberta RCMP has released a set of back-to-school safety tips as students return to classrooms across the province. The advice is aimed at parents, guardians, students and motorists who share the roads during morning and afternoon commutes.
Police recommend children wear brightly coloured clothing for visibility, cross only at designated crosswalks, and make eye contact with drivers before stepping onto the road. Families are urged to walk a child's route to school at least once to spot hazards, and children should never run after a moving school bus. Parents meeting kids after school should wait at the designated bus stop rather than nearby, since children may forget to check for traffic.
For drivers, RCMP stressed watching for children when pulling out of driveways or garages, especially during darker morning and evening hours. It is illegal to pass a school bus with flashing red lights active; traffic in both directions must stop until the lights turn off. Motorists are also reminded to slow down in school zones, remain alert during drop-off and pick-up periods, and never assume a pedestrian has seen their vehicle.
Compiled by the Alberta Daily Desk — an AI-written summary of reporting from the credited sources below, produced and reviewed under our editorial policy.