WITH schools now back in session after spring break, the Surrey RCMP have partnered with ICBC and the Surrey School Board for the “Think of Me” campaign that helps remind both parents and drivers about school zone traffic safety and the hazards of distracted driving.
The “Think of Me” education and enforcement campaign will be starting up on Tuesday, April 7 at 12 p.m. at HT Thrift Elementary School (1739 148th Street).
“Drivers may be pulled over and receive a special handmade warning created by a Surrey student as a visible reminder to ‘think of me’ and drive safely,” says Surrey RCMP Cpl. Bert Paquet. “This is a great opportunity to involve students, school staff and parents to raise awareness about the vigilance we as drivers must have when travelling through school zones and everywhere else.”
During the 2014 campaign police checked thousands of vehicles and issued hundreds of special warnings to go along with the dozens of violation tickets issued for various traffic safety infractions in school zones.
“Now that the weather is warming up and schools are back in session after spring break, drivers should expect to see more children on our roads,” says Karen Klein, ICBC’s local road safety coordinator. “Be extra cautious and watch for children especially in or around school zones. We’re also encouraging parents to take this time to review the rules of the road with their children and go over their route to and from school to make sure they’re taking the safest route.”
“While the nature of the event, as well as the colourful and creative warnings are fun to do, the message is a very serious one: we all need to remember the potential for tragedy from even a moment of inattention while driving, particularly around elementary schools,” says Surrey Board of Education Chairperson Shawn Wilson. “I thank the Surrey RCMP, ICBC,HT Thrift Elementary and our district’s Community-Schools Partnership department for their support of the Think of Me campaign.”
For more safety tips and information, visit the Road Safety section of the Surrey RCMP’s website. Additionally, ICBC provides free road safety educational materials to BC schools to help students learn about road safety using fun and interactive activities. To find out more, visit icbc.com/4teachers.
