Aurora offering lawn signs to improve student safety

YorkRegion.com
Oct. 15, 2015
By Teresa Latchford

You can play a role in keeping children safe in your neighbourhood.

Today, the Town of Aurora is launching its school safety lawn sign program to help residents promote pedestrian and driver safety, specifically for local children walking to and from school.  The campaign provides residents with a lawn sign to display on their property that reminds drivers to slow down and watch for pedestrians, especially children in school zones.

“Statistics show that motor vehicle accidents involving pedestrians are on the rise in the GTA and throughout York Region,” acting manager of corporate communications Anthony Ierullo told town council earlier this week. “In addition, there has also been an increase in pedestrian deaths caused by motor vehicle accidents.”

The campaign is also intended to empower residents to become proactive in the community and promote safety. The increase in pedestrian traffic that comes with school being back in session makes it the perfect time to launch the program, Ierullo added.

The modest-sized lawn sign comes with its own stand and sends a clear message: “Please drive slowly. Drivers, be alert, children walk, ride and play here.”

The project budget has allowed for 500 signs to be available to residents, but only one is allowed per household. The signs are available for pickup at town hall, located on John West Way, on a first-come, first-served basis.

However, if there is a large uptake in the program, council thought it a good idea to revisit the conversation to approve more funds to print more signs.

This initiative is part of the town’s school travel planning policy - the first of its kind in York Region. The policy provides a guide for the town to work with schools and parents to help identify potential school traffic issues and to take steps to prevent injury while increasing activity in school-aged children.

The policy was created by the infrastructure and environmental services division and received final approval in 2013. Partnering with York Region, the town launched a school safety campaign in the fall of 2014.

For more information about the lawn sign program or the school travel planning policy, visit aurora.ca/safe or call 905-727-1375.

TELL US what you think about this issue. Email tlatchford@yrmg.com.