[3 min read]
Here is how more Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) cameras, sidewalks and bikelanes, and School Streets can make communities healthier and safer. And what you can do to make these things happen.
It’s two months into the new school year, after a summer that saw a shocking number of people struck or killed by drivers on Ottawa streets, including two children.
It’s a common scene at schools for morning drop off and afternoon pick up times, speeding, distracted driving, close calls and tension on the street. Many school zones lack effective traffic calming, or even basics like sidewalks or safe and protected bike lanes leading to school. These unsafe conditions lead more parents than ever to drive their kids to school, compounding the problem. And now the Doug Ford Government is threatening to do away with ASE, taking away the one effective tool we have to make school zones safe.
Automated Speed Enforcement Works! (And why the city must fight to keep it)
The fact is speed is the single most important factor in crash risk reduction and injury severity. Pedestrians struck by a motor vehicle travelling at 50 km/h are 8 times more likely to die compared with pedestrians struck by vehicles traveling at 30 km/h. The faster you drive the less time you have to react and longer it takes to stop. Let’s be clear, driver convenience is not a casual trade off to causing a life changing injury or death, especially with children in school zones.
Credit: City of Mississauga Vision Zero Campaign
ASE works at enforcing speed limit adherence according to the City of Ottawa. Before cameras were installed, only 16% of drivers complied with speed limits; this rose to 57% within 3 months and reached 81% after 3 years, with high end speeding decreasing to less than 1%.
City wide graphs of the effects of ASE camera installation on the percent of high-end speeders, and general speed limit compliance.
Credit: Pat Bickerton Bluesky
ASE works at keeping school zones safe! The city and Mayor Sutcliffe must stand their ground and not make any concessions to the Doug Ford government who wants to ban them or replace them with nothing but signs and flashing lights.
Build the Sidewalks, Bike Infrastructure and School Streets in the Transportation Master Plan Now
Reducing the chaos of vehicles at the school drop off means giving families the choice of safe and active mobility choices to get to every school. It is also about allowing our kids opportunities to travel to school and in their neighbourhoods independently. That means sidewalks and bike lanes leading to schools, and adhering to established city policies to those build sidewalks in residential neighbourhoods. No exceptions.
As for School Streets, Rideau-Vanier City Councillor Stéphanie Plante makes the case:
“What would you do with no cars on a road for 30 minutes?”
School Streets are a great way for the community to come together. It tells a child that their journey is important too, teaching independent mobility, and incentivizing low-carbon transportation choices. The city has listed School Streets in its Transportation Master Plan. Communities want School Streets in their communities, but the city has done nothing to make School Streets a policy reality.
Calls to Action
We are asking you to add your name to the petition calling on the City of Ottawa to take immediate action to protect our children in school zones and neighbourhoods, ensuring kids have equitable, safe and independent mobility. Specifically, we ask the City to:
- Stand up for Automated Speed Enforcement everywhere in Ottawa. This is a crucial and effective tool to keep kids safe and Premier Doug Ford plans to ban their use this fall. No concessions to community safety can be made to the Ford government.
- Fund and accelerate equitable and active transportation to schools. Kids need active and independent mobility to school. That means sidewalks and bikelanes leading to schools, adhering to established city policies to build sidewalks in residential neighbourhoods. No exceptions.
- Get moving on making School Streets possible in Ottawa. A feasibility study has been completed and is gathering dust. City councils approved Transportation Master Plan Prioritizes Active School Trips. It’s time to give school communities the tools to create safe school streets for children.
Schools Streets Ottawa 