ICBC survey reveals high percentage of people speed through school zones

As kids return to school next week, ICBC is reminding people to slow down in school zones.

ICBC has released a new survey, revealing that 31% of people admit to speeding through school zones during operating hours at least some of the time. 

4% of these respondents confessed to always speeding through school zones while the limits are in effect, as opposed to only sometimes. 

The results are said to mirror what most drivers say they’ve witnessed, with 91% reporting that they’ve seen others speed through school zones within the last two years. Nearly half say they encounter it frequently. 

According to ICBC, September sees an average of 50 children get injured while walking or biking in BC—the highest of any month in the year.

“As the school year begins, our priority is making sure that students, family members and school staff all return safely home at the end of each day,” said Lisa Beare, Minister of Education and Child Care. 

“Drivers staying alert and obeying speed limits, and teaching children and youth road safety skills and awareness protects students and everyone in communities near schools.”

Additionally, drivers say that the other most frequently observed unsafe behavior involves distracted driving, unsafe drop-off/pick-up, and illegal parking. 

To help prevent avoidable accidents and injury, ICBC has announced a partnership with police and Speed Watch volunteers to monitor driver behaviour across BC. 

ICBC has invested more than $1.6 million into 105 school zone projects across the province since 2020, including pedestrian signals, speed bumps and more. 

“We want drivers to understand that school zone speed limits are lower for one critical reason: to protect the lives of students, their families, and other road users in and around our schools,” said Kathleen Nadalin, ICBC road safety manager. 

“Choosing to ignore these limits is not only breaking the law, it’s putting children at risk. We’re calling on all drivers to follow posted speed limits in school and playground zones whenever they’re in effect, to eliminate distractions, and be aware of children walking, cycling, and getting in and out of vehicles throughout the entire school year.”

ICBC also provides free road safety learning resources for educators to help students of all ages understand how to stay safe on their daily routes.

For more information and tips for drivers that commute past school zones, you can visit ICBC’s website.