Global authorities urge road safety as students return to school

As students return to classrooms in Canada, Ireland, and the United States, law enforcement agencies and road safety authorities are issuing warnings to motorists regarding increased traffic and school zone safety.

In Canada, the Nanaimo RCMP is increasing enforcement and education initiatives around school zones, where speed limits are set at 30 km/h. Officers are reminding drivers to stop for school buses with extended stop paddles and to be mindful of pedestrians, cyclists, and scooter riders.

In Ireland, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) reported that between 2021 and 2025, 38 children were killed and 620 were seriously injured on Irish roads, with 13% of casualties occurring during school commutes. Authorities are urging drivers to slow down during morning and afternoon pick-up and drop-off times.

In the United States, police in Marysville, Washington, are emphasizing school zone rules and stop paddle laws. Officials noted that Washington law doubles speeding fines in school zones. The Marysville Police Department reported over 2,700 school bus paddle violations in the final months of the previous school year.