With the school year about to begin, a new survey from CAA Manitoba shows most parents are worried about their children’s safety in school zones.
The poll found 90 percent of parents reported witnessing unsafe driving near schools, with speeding, distracted driving, and vehicles blocking school bus zones cited as top concerns. As a result, 62 percent said they consider their child’s school zone “very unsafe.”
The survey also revealed more parents are opting to drive their kids to school, with 43 percent saying they do so — an eight percent increase since 2023. While convenience and distance were common reasons, many cited traffic safety itself as a deciding factor.
Most parents support stronger safety measures, including lower speed limits, speed bumps, digital speed signs, and automated speed enforcement. CAA Manitoba says 83 percent back reducing speed limits in school zones during the academic year.
“Every parent wants to see their child to and from school safely,” said Ewald Friesen, manager, government & community Relations for CAA Manitoba. “Driving dangerously in areas where vulnerable road users are active such as children, always presents heightened road safety concerns.”
The organization is urging motorists to slow down and make safer driving choices as classes resume.
