School Zone Road Safety Campaign 2022-2023

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In collaboration with ATCO Electric Yukon, the Government of Yukon, and Yukon RCMP, we are conducting a campaign to raise awareness about road safety in school zones!

The goal is to enhance school safety by providing additional visual indicators that let you know you're driving in a school zone. This will be done by placing blue boxes around street lights in designated school zones.

Background

It is that time of year when students are heading back to school. In an effort to improve traffic safety for vulnerable road users in school zones, we're pleased to announce a new back to

In collaboration with ATCO Electric Yukon, the Government of Yukon, and Yukon RCMP, we are conducting a campaign to raise awareness about road safety in school zones!

The goal is to enhance school safety by providing additional visual indicators that let you know you're driving in a school zone. This will be done by placing blue boxes around street lights in designated school zones.

Background

It is that time of year when students are heading back to school. In an effort to improve traffic safety for vulnerable road users in school zones, we're pleased to announce a new back to school safety campaign.

At select elementary school zones around Whitehorse, you'll soon notice 8-foot long blue boxes wrapped around each streetlight. We chose this colour because it does not interfere with existing road signs and it aligns with previous school zone campaigns such as “Stop and Look”, and “Little Hare, Don’t Park There.”

These bright blue boxes will serve as a visual reminder to drivers that they are in a school zone and that this part of the roadway is different from the rest of our roads. It will also serve as a constant reminder as to where the school zones start and end and that drivers must slow down and be extra cautious in the area.

The school zone road safety campaign is anticipated to improve transportation accessibility, connectivity, equity, mobility, safety, and sustainability by:

  • Providing additional visual indicators to drivers that they are within a school zone area.
  • Improving safety for vulnerable road users within a school zone.

What we're asking now:

This phase of engagement focuses on sharing information with residents about the campaign.

How to get involved:

  • Use the Ask A Question tool to ask the Project Team a question about the campaign.

Our promise to you:

We will keep you informed.

Do you have any questions?

We're happy to answer any questions you may have about the School Zone Road Safety Campaign. 

Send us a question and we'll get back to you within 5 business days. If we think others may be interested in your question, we will post it here along with our response. Your email and personal information will remain private - only your question and username will be shared.

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  • Share Hi. We (Elijah Smith School) are wondering if it might be possible for our school to have these markers placed at our school to help keep our students safe. Thanks on Facebook Share Hi. We (Elijah Smith School) are wondering if it might be possible for our school to have these markers placed at our school to help keep our students safe. Thanks on Twitter Share Hi. We (Elijah Smith School) are wondering if it might be possible for our school to have these markers placed at our school to help keep our students safe. Thanks on Linkedin Email Hi. We (Elijah Smith School) are wondering if it might be possible for our school to have these markers placed at our school to help keep our students safe. Thanks link

    Hi. We (Elijah Smith School) are wondering if it might be possible for our school to have these markers placed at our school to help keep our students safe. Thanks

    ESES asked over 1 year ago

    Hi ESES,

    Thank you for question.

    We used a set of criteria to identify school zone areas that would be best suited to this type of initiative – specifically, we targeted elementary schools that did not have significant traffic control, traffic calming, or road safety countermeasures already in place such as a T-intersections, traffic lights, pedestrian activated beacons, or roundabouts. Since Elijah Smith Elementary School has two traffic control devices present (roundabout, pedestrian activated beacon), it was not included in this initiative.

    For more information, please refer to the FAQ on the right-hand side of the project page.

    Stefan Baer, E.I.T. | Engineering Services
    Elizabeth Beecroft | Department of Highways and Public Works, Transport Services, Road Safety Unit

  • Share I think the project is a great idea. Why not use this approach for Whitehorse Elementary School as well? It probably has the highest traffic flow of any school. on Facebook Share I think the project is a great idea. Why not use this approach for Whitehorse Elementary School as well? It probably has the highest traffic flow of any school. on Twitter Share I think the project is a great idea. Why not use this approach for Whitehorse Elementary School as well? It probably has the highest traffic flow of any school. on Linkedin Email I think the project is a great idea. Why not use this approach for Whitehorse Elementary School as well? It probably has the highest traffic flow of any school. link

    I think the project is a great idea. Why not use this approach for Whitehorse Elementary School as well? It probably has the highest traffic flow of any school.

    nathan.millar_4018 asked over 1 year ago

    Hi nathan.millar_2018,

    Thank you for your comment and question.

    We used a set of criteria to identify school zone areas that would be best suited to this type of initiative – specifically, we targeted elementary schools that did not have significant traffic control, traffic calming, or road safety countermeasures already in place such as a T-intersections, traffic lights, or roundabouts. Since Whitehorse Elementary School has a traffic control device present (traffic signal), it was not included in this initiative.

    For more information, please refer to the FAQ on the right-hand side of the project page.

    Stefan Baer, E.I.T. | Engineering Services
    Elizabeth Beecroft | Department of Highways and Public Works, Transport Services, Road Safety Unit

  • Share I think adding blue boxes as visual reminders is a great addition to enhance safety. Simple and effective. One important consideration in school zones is to ensure motorists are not distracted while driving. Kids can pop out from behind vehicles, sway into traffic while riding a bike, or kids may be doing what they should be doing such as crossing at a crosswalk. Motorists need to have 100% focus. One common distraction that I often see in the middle of school zones (e.g., traffic circle at Elijah Smith Elementary School) are “garage sale” signs and other personal signs (e.g., happy birthday, haunted house ads). I recommend that the City of Whitehorse enact a bylaw prohibiting signage in school zones to eliminate this distraction. Albeit garage sales are typically on weekends, I do see signs left up for days on occasion. Will you consider enacting a bylaw? Thank you for your consideration. on Facebook Share I think adding blue boxes as visual reminders is a great addition to enhance safety. Simple and effective. One important consideration in school zones is to ensure motorists are not distracted while driving. Kids can pop out from behind vehicles, sway into traffic while riding a bike, or kids may be doing what they should be doing such as crossing at a crosswalk. Motorists need to have 100% focus. One common distraction that I often see in the middle of school zones (e.g., traffic circle at Elijah Smith Elementary School) are “garage sale” signs and other personal signs (e.g., happy birthday, haunted house ads). I recommend that the City of Whitehorse enact a bylaw prohibiting signage in school zones to eliminate this distraction. Albeit garage sales are typically on weekends, I do see signs left up for days on occasion. Will you consider enacting a bylaw? Thank you for your consideration. on Twitter Share I think adding blue boxes as visual reminders is a great addition to enhance safety. Simple and effective. One important consideration in school zones is to ensure motorists are not distracted while driving. Kids can pop out from behind vehicles, sway into traffic while riding a bike, or kids may be doing what they should be doing such as crossing at a crosswalk. Motorists need to have 100% focus. One common distraction that I often see in the middle of school zones (e.g., traffic circle at Elijah Smith Elementary School) are “garage sale” signs and other personal signs (e.g., happy birthday, haunted house ads). I recommend that the City of Whitehorse enact a bylaw prohibiting signage in school zones to eliminate this distraction. Albeit garage sales are typically on weekends, I do see signs left up for days on occasion. Will you consider enacting a bylaw? Thank you for your consideration. on Linkedin Email I think adding blue boxes as visual reminders is a great addition to enhance safety. Simple and effective. One important consideration in school zones is to ensure motorists are not distracted while driving. Kids can pop out from behind vehicles, sway into traffic while riding a bike, or kids may be doing what they should be doing such as crossing at a crosswalk. Motorists need to have 100% focus. One common distraction that I often see in the middle of school zones (e.g., traffic circle at Elijah Smith Elementary School) are “garage sale” signs and other personal signs (e.g., happy birthday, haunted house ads). I recommend that the City of Whitehorse enact a bylaw prohibiting signage in school zones to eliminate this distraction. Albeit garage sales are typically on weekends, I do see signs left up for days on occasion. Will you consider enacting a bylaw? Thank you for your consideration. link

    I think adding blue boxes as visual reminders is a great addition to enhance safety. Simple and effective. One important consideration in school zones is to ensure motorists are not distracted while driving. Kids can pop out from behind vehicles, sway into traffic while riding a bike, or kids may be doing what they should be doing such as crossing at a crosswalk. Motorists need to have 100% focus. One common distraction that I often see in the middle of school zones (e.g., traffic circle at Elijah Smith Elementary School) are “garage sale” signs and other personal signs (e.g., happy birthday, haunted house ads). I recommend that the City of Whitehorse enact a bylaw prohibiting signage in school zones to eliminate this distraction. Albeit garage sales are typically on weekends, I do see signs left up for days on occasion. Will you consider enacting a bylaw? Thank you for your consideration.

    Mark W asked over 1 year ago

    Hi Mark W,

    Thank you for the positive feedback and suggestions.

    We will consider this suggestion in a potential future update of our Traffic Bylaw. At this time, the City continues to advance its priority to complete the Transportation Master Plan. Please consider providing your feedback to engagement opportunities as a part of this process.

    Stefan Baer | Engineering Services

Page last updated: 12 Jan 2023, 04:46 PM