ST. PAUL - Motorists travelling in the Town of St. Paul will have to be mindful of school zones before students actually head back to class.
Director of Protective Services Trevor Kotowich says he asked the municipality to post the information stating school zones will be in effect as of Aug. 27, in part to create a discussion.
"School zones have not been in effect since March 16 of this year, so driver’s habit’s need to get accustomed to this once again," said Kotowich. "With schools slated to open . . . on Sept. 2, and teachers reporting earlier the week before, our school areas are going to be very busy."
He adds there should be no concern for panic that enforcement will be on Aug. 27, however, people can expect to see municipal peace officers out patroling and they will be looking for other violations as well.
School zones are in effect on school days from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
"These hours may vary for different towns and cities according to municipal bylaws," says Kotowich. If a municipality does establish different times, those times will be posted under the school zone sign.
Another rule states that motorists are not permitted to pass or attempt to pass another vehicle travelling in the same direction within a school zone, when the zone is in effect, according to the Government of Alberta.
And while the weather is still nice, and daylight hours are still plenty, it's not just school zones motorists need to be mindful of.
"I ask all driver’s to be mindful of not only school zones, but playground zones a well, such as the one by the new skatepark." he says.
And while the recent notice was specifically for St. Paul school zones, St. Paul resident Alison Newby says she learned an important lessons recently while driving outside of Alberta.
"I was recently driving outside of Alberta in Regina, Sask., and I was later issued a speeding ticket for driving 43km in a 30km school zone. It was a holiday Monday, during summer break, which in Alberta would mean school zones are not in effect. However, Saskatchewan law, which I only now have come to learn, is quite different," she explains.
She adds that her lack of knowledged regarding school zones in other provinces cost her $282.
"I hope others can learn from my mistake," she adds.
Overall, school zone rules vary by province, and often by municipality, and it could prove to be valuable to look into specific rules or the road when travelling outside the region.
