BRAMPTON – As the new school year approaches, the City of Brampton is reminding residents to prioritize road safety, especially around school zones. With increased pedestrian traffic, it is crucial for everyone to be vigilant and follow these safety tips.
Slow down in school zones
School zones are designed to protect children during their travels to school, making it essential to drive slowly and cautiously in these areas. Lower speed limits are enforced to give drivers more time to react to unexpected situations, such as children crossing the road or emerging from between parked cars. Reducing speeds and adhering to the speed limit within school zones helps create a safer environment for students, parents and staff, ensuring everyone can navigate these areas with greater security and peace of mind.
The City of Brampton uses various traffic calming measures in school zones, including Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) cameras, Flashing 40 Signs, Watch for Children Signs and Vehicle Activated Traffic Calming Signs to help reduce the speed and volume of traffic.
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Sample of a posted speed limit sign in a Community Safety Zone. Credit: City of Brampton
Engage with Brampton’s School Traffic Safety Council
Brampton’s School Traffic Safety Council is made up of a member of Council, City Staff, first responders, school board representatives and residents who come together to promote road safety around schools in Brampton. Residents are encouraged to get involved with the School Traffic Safety Council to help make a difference in protecting children and fostering a safer community for all.
Obey School Crossing Guards
The City of Brampton employs more than 250 School Crossing Guards who play a critical role in the safety of pedestrians, including students from kindergarten to grade five in the Dufferin-Peel Catholic School Board and Peel District School Board.
When stopping for a crossing guard, drivers are reminded that they must remain stopped until the guard and children have finished crossing the entire roadway. Breaking this law could result in three demerit points, increased insurance rates and a fine of up to $500. It could also cause serious injury to crossing guards, children or other pedestrians.
The City of Brampton is always looking for dedicated individuals seeking an opportunity to give back to their community in an important way. Explore becoming a School Crossing Guard with the City by visiting here.
Consider walking or biking to school
Brampton’s walk or bike to school webpage offers numerous health and safety benefits for people and communities. Consider using an active form of transportation to keep roadways near schools safe and to help reduce automobile traffic around schools.
The City has a comprehensive network of bike lanes and recreational trails that make travel by bike a safe and desirable option for work, recreation and school. Cyclists must do their part to keep Brampton streets, sidewalks and trails safe. Some important safety tips include:
- Wear a helmet – it could save your life
- Obey all traffic laws, signs and signals
- Use hand signals
- Yield to pedestrians
- Do not park or stop in bike lanes. The fine for parking/stopping in these lanes is $150.
Keeping Brampton’s streets accessible for everyone
The City of Brampton is committed to ensuring that people of all ages and abilities enjoy the same opportunities as they live, work, play and visit the city. Keeping our sidewalks clear is essential for the safety and accessibility of all residents, including pedestrians, children, elderly individuals and those living with disabilities.
Drivers are reminded that no portion of a vehicle can overhang onto the sidewalk or obstruct any portion of the sidewalk. Sidewalks must remain clear at all times to allow for strollers, children and individuals requiring the use of a wheelchair or other mobility aid to freely travel without obstruction.
Learn more about keeping the sidewalk clear at Brampton.ca/bylaws.
Brampton’s Automated Speed Enforcement program
Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE), is an automated system using a camera and a speed measurement device to enforce speed limits. ASE is a proven traffic calming tool that employs technology to help make roads safer for all users.
ASE is designed to work in tandem with other road safety measures, such as traffic calming, community safety zones, speed display boards, education initiatives and police enforcement to improve safety for people of all ages.
As one of the largest single municipal ASE camera programs in Ontario, Brampton is leading the way in creating safer streets with an ambitious plan to deploy 185 ASE cameras by the summer of 2025 and by opening its own ASE camera processing centre. This rapid rollout is substantially faster than those of other municipalities, where deployments of this scale typically take more than four years.
In July, in preparation for students returning to school, the City installed 20 new ASE cameras, further expanding Brampton’s portfolio to a total of 70 camera locations. These new cameras are anticipated to be operational in the coming weeks to help deter speeding in areas where children are travelling to school and other roadways of special concern.
ASE is about safety and with clear signage posted, it reminds everyone to slow down and help keep communities safe.
Camera in use sign to alert drivers to reduce speed in Community Safety Zones. Credit: City of Brampton
Community Safety Zones
Community Safety Zones are sections of a roadway where public safety is of special concern.
The City has implemented 187 Community Safety Zones, lowering the speed limit on roadways near schools, daycare centres, playgrounds, parks, hospitals, senior residences and collision-prone areas within a community. With special designation under the Highway Traffic Act, fines may be doubled for speeding and traffic signal-related offences within Community Safety Zones.
Visit this website to review a full map of Brampton’s Community Safety Zones.
Additional school road safety resources
For schools interested in starting a walk-to-school program, the City of Brampton has a guide. For more information, click here. Student Transportation of Peel Region (STOPR) is a resource for parents and offers tips on first-time rider safety, bus delays and how to return to school safely.
For more information on road safety tips and initiatives, visit Brampton Road Safety.
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“The safety of our children is our top priority. As the new school year begins, it’s crucial for everyone to be extra vigilant, especially around school zones. Slowing down and following traffic rules are simple steps that make a significant difference in keeping our children safe. Road safety is a shared responsibility and together we can ensure our streets remain safe for all.”
– Shane Loftus, Manager, Transportation Right of Way and Safety, City of Brampton