THUNDER BAY — New school year, same problems on the road, according to city police, as kids return to school.
Thunder Bay Police Service's Acting Sergeant Tom Armstrong, with the traffic unit, kicks off the service's back-to-school traffic safety campaign.
"It's the kind of same thing every year, but we see the same problems repeating year after year."
As pedestrians, motorists and other road users get used to the back-to-school traffic, it's an excellent time to remind everyone to be aware when on city streets.
"The crossing guards are going to be active. Kids are going to be walking down the sidewalk, down the road riding their bikes, and they may not be as attentive as they should be. We as drivers need to be responsible to ensure we keep them safe.
"So this is our plea to drivers to help our kids get to and from school safe and sound this year."
Armstrong noted that officers often see frequent violations of pedestrian crossovers, stop sign violations in school zones, ignoring crossing guards and the "blatant disregard for stopping for school buses."
Pedestrian crossovers are becoming a bigger problem, Armstrong said.
"It has been a major problem."
"There's going to be more kids using those crossovers that aren't controlled by a crossing guard . . . If there's a pedestrian standing on the side of the road there, it is their responsibility to stop if those lights aren't flashing.
"It doesn't matter if there's a kid, an adult, whoever it is waiting there, they're compelled to stop.
"It's significant fines if you don't," he said, adding that police will be focusing on that when doing enforcement.
Teaming up with the Thunder Bay District Health Unit in a campaign launched in February, officers will be handing out cards that local school children designed to depict reasons why drivers need to be safe on the roads.
"I think people are aware of the fines, and people, just for whatever reason, tend to ignore it," said Armstrong.
"We're going to be very proactive about it and trying to make a dent in this problematic driver behaviour."
