The Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) is renewing Project Safe Start in 2022 for the 15th straight year. The goal is to ensure a safe transition during back-to-school week and set a precedent for safe driving.
The back-to-school season results in increased pedestrian and vehicular traffic across the region, but especially near schools and in community safety zones.
The decision to renew the project was easy as Halton residents rank traffic concerns as their utmost policing priority. The high visibility of officers near school premises will serve to remind drivers to use heightened awareness and exercise caution.
Last year, during the course of the two week Safe Start initiative the top traffic offences were:
- Speeding (941 provincial offence notices and warnings issued)
- Disobey Stop Sign - Fail to Stop (583 provincial offence notices and warnings issued)
- Speeding – Community Safety Zone (156 provincial offence notices and warnings issued)
HRPS officers issued a total of 1933 Provincial Offence Notices and 822 warnings during 2021's project.
Please remember:
- When driving, everything else can wait. You are driving distracted if your eyes, hands and/or mind are not focused on the task of driving. Motorists are reminded that holding a cellular phone in your hands is an offence, regardless of whether you are talking on it, using the navigation system, or changing a song. This is still applicable when stopped at a red light.
- Drive at a safe speed. Always abide by posted speed limits, with special care in community safety zones with special speed limits. Aggressive driving such as speeding, tailgating and failing to comply with road signs increase the likelihood of a collision. Aggressive driving reduces your reaction time and makes your vehicle movements unpredictable to other drivers.
- Drive responsibly. Drug-impaired and alcohol-impaired driving can result in serious injury or death to you, your loved ones and other road users. Impairment from alcohol and other drugs slows your ability to react to changing road conditions.
Project Safe Start will run between Monday, August 29 and Friday, September 9, 2022.