Newsroom

School’s in but speeding shouldn't be: ICBC survey reveals drivers flunk on speeding near schools

August 26, 2025

A new ICBC survey by Ipsos reveals that 31% of B.C. drivers admit to speeding through a school zone during school hours at least ‘sometimes’ with 4% confessing they ‘always’ do it when the speed limit is in effect.*

Based on this revelation, it’s no surprise that nearly every driver surveyed (91%) says they’ve observed a driver speeding in a school zone during school hours at least ‘sometimes’ over the past two years and 46% have witnessed it ‘frequently.’

“As the school year begins, our priority is making sure that students, family members and school staff all return safely home at the end of each day,” said Lisa Beare, Minister of Education and Child Care. “Drivers staying alert and obeying speed limits, and teaching children and youth road safety skills and awareness protects students and everyone in communities near schools.”

“We want drivers to understand that school zone speed limits are lower for one critical reason: to protect the lives of students, their families, and other road users in and around our schools,” said Kathleen Nadalin, ICBC road safety manager. “Choosing to ignore these limits is not only breaking the law, it’s putting children at risk. We’re calling on all drivers to follow posted speed limits in school and playground zones whenever they’re in effect, to eliminate distractions, and be aware of children walking, cycling, and getting in and out of vehicles throughout the entire school year.”

In September every year, 50 children are injured while walking or biking throughout B.C. – the highest of any month of the year.**

The survey also revealed that 36% have witnessed a collision or a near miss while driving in a school zone. Among those who have witnessed a collision or near miss, 50% say the incident involved a child.

In addition to speeding, drivers surveyed say the other most frequent unsafe behaviours they’ve observed in school zones include distracted driving, unsafe drop off/pick-up outside of designated areas, illegal parking or stopping and children crossing mid-block.

This September, our road safety team is partnering with Speed Watch volunteers and police at schools across B.C., teaming up to monitor drivers’ speeds and to remind everyone that school zone limits are back in place to keep kids safe.

We’re encouraging parents and caregivers to give children a road safety refresher before the school year begins. If your child will be walking or cycling to school, take time to practice the route together. This is a great opportunity to offer guidance and encouragement along the way, while making sure they have the skills they need to travel safely.

We're proud to invest in making our neighbourhoods safer for kids and families. We’ve dedicated over $1.6 million to 105 school safety projects across B.C. from 2020 to 2024. Last year alone, we completed 18 projects totalling $428,000. These improvements, such as pedestrian signals, flashing beacons, raised medians, refuge islands, speed reader boards and speed humps, are all designed with our communities in mind to help protect students and everyone near schools.

We also provide free learning resources to educators to teach children and youth road safety skills and awareness specific to their grade level.

More survey details are available in a summary pdf.

ICBC safety tips for drivers, parents and caregivers

Tips for drivers:

  • Every school day, unless otherwise posted, a 30 km/h speed limit is in effect in school zones from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. In playground zones, a 30 km/h speed limit is in effect every day from dawn to dusk.

  • Watch for school buses. When their lights are flashing, vehicles approaching from both directions must stop.

  • If a vehicle stops in front of you or in the lane next to you, they may be yielding to a pedestrian, so proceed with caution and be prepared to stop.

  • Avoid distractions by leaving your phone alone while driving and watch for children walking, cycling or riding a scooter. Distracted and inattentive driving is a leading cause of crashes with pedestrians and cyclists.

  • Before getting into your vehicle, walk around it to make sure there are no small children hidden from your view. Always look for pedestrians when backing up.

  • You can help pedestrians see you better by making sure that your headlights, brake and turn indicator lights are clear, visible and always in good working condition.

  • In residential areas, look for signs of kids playing such as a nearby ball or hockey net. Slow down and watch for children as they could run into the street at any moment.

Tips for parents and caregivers:

  • If you drop off your child in a school zone, they should exit the car on the side closest to the sidewalk. Don’t stop in a no parking or no stopping area or block a crosswalk as this can prevent drivers from seeing children as they’re walking and put their safety at risk.

  • Teach your child the basics of crossing the street:

    • Stop at the curb or edge of the road.

    • Look left and right for oncoming vehicles, then look left over your shoulder for vehicles that might be turning.

    • Make sure all vehicles have stopped before entering the road. Make eye contact with drivers before crossing, even if the walk signal is on.

    • When the intersection is clear, start crossing and keep looking for approaching vehicles.

  • Teach your child to walk on the inside edge of the sidewalk away from the road, so they’re further away from traffic. If there isn’t a sidewalk, they can walk facing oncoming traffic, so they can see approaching vehicles and make eye contact with drivers.

  • Set a good example for children by crossing at intersections with a pedestrian crossing light or marked crosswalk, where possible. Avoid shortcuts through parking lots or around parked cars where it's harder for drivers to see small children.

  • Teach your child to stay focused on their surroundings while walking, cycling or riding a scooter and to listen for traffic and scan for approaching vehicles.

  • If your child will be outside at night or in poor weather, make sure they’re wearing bright clothes and reflective gear.

  • Discourage play near or on railways. Only cross railway tracks at designated signals or signs and watch your step.

Statistics*

  • In B.C., three children are killed and 402 are injured in crashes while walking or cycling every year.

  • In the Lower Mainland, 305 children walking or cycling are injured in crashes every year.

  • On Vancouver Island, 42 children walking or cycling are injured in crashes every year.

  • In the Southern Interior, 43 children walking or cycling are injured in crashes every year.

  • In northern B.C., 12 children are injured in crashes while walking or cycling every year.

*Every school day, unless otherwise posted, a 30 km/h speed limit is in effect in school zones from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

**Children defined as age 0 to 18. Pedestrian includes a person in or on a wheeled recreational device or wheeled toy. This includes rollerblades, a skateboard, scooter, unicycle or similar wheeled device. Crash and injury data are five-year averages based on 2020 to 2024 data reported by ICBC. Regional totals may not add up to the provincial total due to rounding. Fatal averages and school/playground zone injury averages are based on 2019 to 2023 police-reported data.