Delta police are giving many local drivers a failing grade when it comes to back-to-school safety.
During the first two weeks of the school year, the department's traffic section held a back-toschool enforcement and awareness campaign.
"We were astonished to see that a great number of the offending drivers were actually parents dropping off their children and who were clearly aware of the school zone requirements," said Sgt. Mike Scholz.
The campaign targeted all schools in Delta with officers providing a visible presence. They were there to remind drivers that school is now back in session and that school zone speed limits of 30 km/h are in effect from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. on school days.
Over the nine days of the campaign, officers issued more than 90 violation tickets and gave out a significant number of verbal warnings.
"Our officers heard excuses about ignorance of the school zone speed limits, and even several from area residents who said they were unaware that there was even a school zone in their area," Scholz said.
He added one driver that was pulled over for speeding in a school zone argued with the officer by saying, "But I was only going 50."
The campaign also targeted safe driving and dropoff habits for parents taking children to school, a common issue in many reports to police.
Drivers weren't the only ones being singled out as officers also kept an eye on pedestrians, reminding them to make sure they stay visible and to remove earphones.
With autumn here, Scholz has another reminder for motorists: "With the weather making a turn from summer to fall, visibility and road conditions worsen as the days get shorter and the rain sets in. We would like to remind all drivers to once again slow down and take an extra few seconds to look for pedestrians and other vehicles at intersections."
As the school year continues, the department's traffic section is committed to ongoing enforcement in school zones.
