Every summer, winter and statutory holiday we see them.
There’s the person slowly driving through a school zone at their usual 30 kilometres an hour, while another keeps their speed at 50 km/h, or more.
The speed limit in school zones always seems a tricky one to remember, especially during the quieter months when students are off on their break, said Stu Fraser, supervisor with the local peace officer program.
But really it’s simple. Once school is out, people can drive their normal 50 km/h instead of 30 km/h, which are only active while the school is in session, he said.
“Our school zone enforcement efforts are not in place during school breaks, including early dismissal, professional development and vacation periods,” he said.
That’s not to say that traffic enforcement officers won’t park their cars in the same location to catch people speeding during the holidays and school breaks, he added.
There are drivers who speed in a 30 km/h zone, as well as in a 50 km/h zone, he said.
People also need to watch out for signs indicating playground areas around the city, he added.
Unlike school zones, a playground zone’s hours of operation are daily from 8:30 a.m. to one hour after sunset. At these locations, identified by a sign that shows a child running with a ball, the speed limit remains 30 km/h, no matter the time of the year, said Fraser.
“The other concern though is, don’t forget that almost every school has some sort of structured playground or green zone attached to it,” he said, “Having people slow down even when school isn’t in session isn’t always a bad thing.”
For more information on traffic regulations in St. Albert, visit stalbert.ca/bylaws.
