The City of Calgary has wrapped up safety improvements at 50 schools across the city this year, aimed at making the walk, bike, or drive to school a little safer for students and families. The upgrades include new pedestrian crossings, curb extensions, and traffic-calming measures like speed cushions, all designed to slow drivers down and improve visibility around schools.

"These improvements are about creating safer, more comfortable routes for students and their families," said Traffic Engineer Surendra Mishra. "Whether children are walking to school, riding a bike or arriving with their parents, every improvement helps reduce risk and increases awareness for everyone using the road."

Some of the changes lean on measures with a track record: curb extensions shorten how far pedestrians need to cross and make them more visible to drivers, cutting collisions by an estimated 30 to 45 per cent, while Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons improve how often drivers yield to pedestrians, reducing collisions by another 30 to 40 per cent. Used together, the city says these treatments can cut collisions by as much as 70 to 80 per cent at a given intersection. Separately, 17 schools got new speed cushions or speed humps this year, which the city says slow traffic by an average of 7 km/h on roads with a 50 km/h limit.

Calgary Police Service Insp. Robbie Patterson said the change in season brings added risk for young pedestrians and cyclists. "Drivers need to be especially vigilant around schools and playground zones," he said. "Not only does that mean slowing down, but it also means paying attention to the task at hand and avoiding all distractions including phones or anything else that could take your eyes of the road."

Parking behaviour near schools is also part of the equation. Through the School Patrol Program, city parking officers work to keep drop-off and pick-up areas safe by educating drivers and addressing unsafe parking that can block visibility. "Playground zones are busiest when families are under pressure and that is when safe parking choices matter most," said Todd Sullivan, the city's Coordinator of Parking Safety and Compliance.

As students head back to class, the city is asking drivers to slow down, stay alert, and watch for kids near schools and residential streets, while encouraging parents to review safe routes with their children and build extra time into their mornings. "Kids deserve to get to and from school safely, and their lives are in your hands," said Jacquelyn Oriold, the city's Safety Education Programs Manager.