Schools and Playgrounds

The signs in the school zones around the Oceanside Middle School in Parksville remain up during the summer. They state the speed to be 30 km/h and underneath a tab says "school days." Other areas do not have the notation of "school days" but do leave up their 30 km/h sign during the summer.

Question: There is a school near where I live, with a 30 km/h school zone. Driving one way past the school you encounter the School Zone sign, but after you pass the school, there is no corresponding sign showing the speed increase to 50 km/h.

Question: Currently, I am disputing a ticket I received back in June; I was clocked on radar doing 60 km/h through a school zone and was alleged to have violated Section 147(1). However, the section of road I was travelling on is a fairly busy two-lane road, and as such the signs indicating the school zone do not have the "30 km/h" speed limit sign under them.

The case of R v Ashir answers the question "Do I have to slow down in a school zone if it is a Pro-D Day?" The definition of "a regular school day" was examined by Judicial Justice Gordon during the dispute of a traffic ticket for speeding in a school zone on Oswego Street in Victoria.

Safe Kids USA has released a report that explores the extent to which drivers are engaging in other activities while traveling through school zones. It is very likely that the observations made in this report are representative of distracted driving behaviours that occur in BC school zones as well.