Photo Courtesy of MBC Media
As students return to classrooms across Northumberland, the OPP are reminding drivers, parents, caregivers, and children to make safety a priority.
Constable James Clarke, Media Relations Officer with the Northumberland OPP, says the start of the school year brings noticeable changes to local traffic patterns.
Drivers should expect increased traffic around schools, school routes, crosswalks, and bus stops — particularly during the morning and afternoon rush.
Clarke says motorists need to remember that young pedestrians may not recognize road hazards the same way adults do.
Children may be excited, distracted, or focused simply on getting to school, making it important for drivers to anticipate unexpected movement near roadways.
One of the most important reminders involves school buses.
On roads without a physical median, vehicles travelling in both directions must stop for the school bus.
The OPP are also encouraging parents and caregivers to review safe routes with their children and discuss where they should cross the road.
Students are being reminded to use designated crosswalks and intersections, look left, right, and left again, and avoid distractions such as phones while walking near roadways.
Police will also be monitoring school zones for dangerous driving behaviours.
Clarke says officers will be watching for speeding, distracted driving, and drivers failing to yield to pedestrians.
The OPP’s key message for the start of the school year is straightforward: slow down, stay alert, and stop for school buses.
Clarke says a few extra seconds of patience can make all the difference in keeping a child safe.
(Written by: Branden Rushton)
