The risk of injury to or kill a child for 2 minutes of your time, really?

Illustration Philippe Melbourne Dufour

Karina Marceau

Monday, 12 march 2018 17:00

UPDATE
Monday, 12 march 2018 17:00

Look at this article

What is it that so much press for grilling, not only a red light, but also a fire to pedestrians in the school zone?

For two, three days, when I go to renew son’s day care, a hit and unconscious puts our security in danger, and that of many, many children, parents and pedestrians. There are, in Quebec, not less than one accident in school zone by day! What is it going to take for these drivers, too concerned with their own life, take into account that of others?

8: 35 AM : I’m about to cross the street which leads me to the nursery of a boy, who is in her stroller. “Mom, the p’tit bonhomme white, go for it!” At three years old, my son knows that no one crosses the street when the white lights for pedestrians invite us. He also knows that we look at both sides before committing to the bitumen. But since some time, I also teaches him that, even if the little guy with the white is on, we must wait a few seconds to cross in order to ensure that no driver is irresponsible, does not violate the security code yet so simple to live together. (I assure you, I use other words to make him understand the concept, and he never crossed the street alone!)

Anyone who travels on the street corner in question is the fact that it is frequented by many young children and parents. It is located a few metres away from a great elementary school and a daycare centre (CPE), which welcomes dozens of toddlers. The displays “school zone” is also well visible. In spite of everything, nothing is. The motorist in a hurry doesn’t care or is totally disconnected from what is happening in front of him, too concentrated on something other than his conduct. In one case as in the other, the behavior is inexcusable!

More than one accident per day in school zone

On average, over the past few years, there were 541 accidents in school zones, according to the most recent statistics of the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec. The SAAQ has a nice multiply, on all platforms, the messages calling for caution at the wheel, apparently, some motorists remain oblivious to the consequences of their dangerous driving.

In a video that deserves to be watched, eight young crossing guards, school zone were observed 861-risk behaviors on the part of motorists in just one hour!

What is it going to take?

If the SAAQ was not yet able to make all licence holders with its advertisements sometimes very frontal, sometimes humorous, what is it going to take for these motorists cowboys continue to put the safety of our children in their blind spot? “It’s so long to change mindsets! There are those who are sensitive to social messages, others to the tickets, but whatever it is, it is necessary to redouble our efforts, to hammer the safety message and work on all fronts to reach the most recalcitrant,” Mario Vaillancourt of the SAAQ.

Meanwhile, I’ll continue to teach my son that, in terms of safety, follow the codes is not enough. We must remain vigilant on what one is doing, but also understand that those around us can do.

And finally, a small question to motorists who dare grill lights for pedestrians : the safety and the lives of others, children on the case, are they not more that this “I-don’t-know-what that can’t wait”?