With children heading back to school next week, officials are reminding drivers to slow down in school zones.
B.C. Education Minister Rob Fleming and Victoria Police Chief Del Manak were joined by parents and children outside Victoria's George Jay Elementary on Thursday to remind drivers that school zone speed limits will be enforced when school begins.
"It's a reminder for people to look at the 30-kilometre zone, obey the posted speed limit and be safe and alert drivers," said Fleming.
One of the students at the gathering, nine year-old Soliel Steffes, had her own message.
"I think cars should probably slow down because when kids just walk through the crosswalk without looking both ways and cars aren't paying attention, people can die," she said.
Manak said the fine for speeding in a school zone starts at $196 and goes up incrementally depending on your speed.
"Our goal is to try to educate and inform drivers to slow down rather than write them a ticket at the side of the road for enforcement," he said.
School zone speed limits are in effect starting Tuesday on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5p.m.
