With the new school year, the latest sneakers, and summer stories, thousands of kids return to the school across the Central Okanagan on Tuesday.

And with that, school zones and their speed limits of 30 km/h are back in effect, something drivers are going to have to get used to again.

乌鸦传媒淧eople are just driving their regular day so they乌鸦传媒檙e not quite ready for school yet we乌鸦传媒檙e out there educating them,乌鸦传媒� said Kelowna RCMP media relations officer Mike Della-Paolera, who noted the average speed outside Raymer Elementary School on Tuesday morning was 50 km/h, well over the school zone limit.

The last few weeks are the time when parents, children, and the public start preparing for the start of the school year but this year has been a little different because of the Grouse Complex of wildfires.

乌鸦传媒淧eople are distracted all summer long, they乌鸦传媒檙e used to driving 50 km/h in our streets but obviously the last three weeks, people in the Central Okanagan have had their minds on other things and this is probably the first normal thing a family乌鸦传媒檚 had to do in the last couple weeks but they need a little reminder school zones are in effect at 7:30 in the morning,乌鸦传媒� continued Della-Paolera.

For the next two weeks, the Kelowna RCMP, BC Highway Patrol, and Kelowna Municipal Traffic Services will be patrolling school zones to help enforce the speed limit, which is in place from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on school days.

乌鸦传媒淲e do not want to write tickets but will be writing warning tickets,乌鸦传媒� said Della-Paolera. 乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 parents that are late for school because they haven乌鸦传媒檛 got their timing down yet. It乌鸦传媒檚 people that are not parents that are just unaware it乌鸦传媒檚 a school day and they乌鸦传媒檙e on their regular business.乌鸦传媒�

In front of Raymer Elementary on Tuesday morning, three people were given warning tickets for speeding. People who get caught speeding in a school zone can be issued a $198 ticket and lose three points on their license. Failing to stop for a school bus signal can also result in a $368 fine.

乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 a fairly expensive ticket to get,乌鸦传媒� said Della-Paolera.

On top of speeding in school zones, the RCMP is looking for distracted drivers, people who attempt to make u-turns in a school zone and jay-walking. Additionally, one of the most important issues that drivers don乌鸦传媒檛 realize is that parking across the street from the school isn乌鸦传媒檛 allowed to keep children safe.

乌鸦传媒淥ne of our biggest concerns is children darting across the street because they see their parents,乌鸦传媒� said Della-Paolera. 乌鸦传媒淚n most school zones, the area across the street from the school is a no-parking zone for that reason alone. Children are 乌鸦传媒榚yes on the prize乌鸦传媒�, there乌鸦传媒檚 mom and dad waiting in the car, they乌鸦传媒檙e going to dart across the street and nothing good can come of that.乌鸦传媒�

School zone speeds are also implied in playground zones from dawn until dusk every day. Electronic bikes are also under the motor vehicle act, meaning riders can also receive tickets for going more than 30 km/h in school zones.

乌鸦传媒淭he safety of our children is the absolute most important thing,乌鸦传媒� said Della-Paolera.

READ MORE: Back to school: Kelowna RCMP warns drivers to slow down

READ MORE: Planned ignitions scheduled to help contain wildfire in West Kelowna

jordy.cunningham@kelownacapnews.com
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