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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Wednesday, October 2, 2013 | 6 This editorial is directed speci cally at the almost 100 people per day ticketed in the region by Halton police of cers for speeding in school or community safety zones during this year's Project Safe Start road safety initiative. In the 12-day Project Safe Start, which coincided with the start of the school year, of cers handed out 1,908 tickets in just the designated zones across Halton. Of cers were out in force throughout the region's school and community safety zones to ensure students get to school and make it back home safely. The majority of tickets -- 1,152 to be exact -- were for speeding. At least one person was charged with stunt driving -- going more than 50 km/h over the speed limit. Police said motorists generally heed advice to drive with care around elementary schools. However, they also call for vigilant driving around daycares, community centres, recreation centres, high schools and even post-secondary campuses, such as colleges. To those guilty of these infractions, is there a reason you have come to believe posted speed limits -- set in order to increase traf c safety for all motorists and pedestrians -- don't apply to you? In the event that a young student on their way to school should dart out in front of your vehicle, have you found some new way to circumvent the laws of physics that state it will take `x' metres for a vehicle weighing more than 1,000 kg to come to a stop when travelling at the excessive speed you have chosen to drive? Are you familiar with the devastating and frequently fatal consequences when a human collides with an automobile travelling too fast to prevent an impact? Did you also know that when you drive 80 km/h in a posted 60 km/h zone, at best you will save two and a half minutes on a 10-km trip? At worst, you will end someone's life. Having been caught speeding, you probably now face nes, demerit points that could ultimately lead to the loss of your driver's licence, higher insurance rates and possible vehicle impoundment. Of course, you already knew these potential consequences before you decided to speed. What is the problem? Follow the rules of the road -- and do so before someone who is innocently going about the pursuit of their life is killed. Parents or others walking children to school or other venues, at any time of day, are reminded to ensure younger children cross only at crosswalks, follow the instructions of the crossing guards should they be present, and not run onto the road from between parked cars. Parents should also ensure youngsters riding bicycles wear a proper helmet and dismount when crossing a road in a crosswalk. The aim of police, parents and law-abiding motorists is to save lives. Too bad everyone doesn't think that way. Please slow down Editorial P R I N C E S S P A R "Connected to your Community" T Y 467 Speers Road, Oakville ON, L6K 3S4 General Inquiries: (905) 845-3824 Editorial Department: (905) 632-0588 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4440 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 Volume 51 | Number 117 The Oakville Beaver is a division of Editorial and advertising content of the Oakville Beaver is protected by copyright. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Vice­President and Group Publisher of Metroland West Regional General Manager Halton Region Editor in Chief Advertising Director NEIL OLIVER DAVID HARVEY JILL DAVIS DANIEL BAIRD Managing Editor ANGELA BLACKBURN RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director Business Manager Director of Production SANDY PARE MARK DILLS Sabrina Fasie Rodriguez, 2, jumps about at circle time during the recent Prince and Princess Day at the Oakville Parent-Child Centre, which offers programming for parents and young children. For more information, visit www.op-cc.ca. | photo by Nikki Wesley ­ Oakville Beaver (Follow on Twitter @halton_photog) MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager Director of Distribution New chair to invest in running shoes Orla Johnston Oakville Chamber of Commerce Chair My View CHARLENE HALL KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager I recently nished my rst week as chair of the Oakville Chamber of Commerce board -- and what a whirlwind. As a director and vice-chair, I knew we were a busy chamber and that I would need to hit the ground running as the new chair. Did I ever. The chamber hosted close to 400 business, political and community leaders at its 59th Annual Chair's Dinner. This was a spectacular night with a wonderful tribute to outgoing Chair Julia Hanna and a warm welcome for me. The Hon. Lisa Raitt, Federal Minister of Transport and Halton MP , was our keynote speaker and her message could not have been more timely. Minister Raitt focused her discussion on transportation safety. She told a packed chamber audience that trans- portation safety is directly related to economic competitiveness. On Wednesday, the chamber presented to a provincial panel established to recommend the process to determine minimum wage rates. On behalf of our members, we want to ensure the process is predictable and transparent as businesses need certainty in which to operate. We recommend making changes to minimum wage by tying it to an economic indicator that measures in ation such as the Consumer Price Index (CPI). We are so fortunate to count among our members many iconic companies. Ford Canada has been the backbone of Oakville's economy for more than 60 years and we were thrilled to be at the Ford Assembly Plant for its announcement of a $700-million investment in the plant. The investment includes $71.6 million from the federal government and $70.9 million from the province. This announcement was followed by a luncheon with Federal Industry Minister James Moore and Oakville MP Terence Young. Another iconic company now headquartered in Oakville is Siemens Canada. Over the last year, see Chamber on p.8 Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Canadian Circulations Audit Board Member Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association Proud Official Media Sponsor For: The Oakville Beaver welcomes letters from its readers. Letters will be edited for clarity, length, legal considerations and grammar. In order to be published all letters must contain the name, address and phone number of the author. Letters should be addressed to: The Editor, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville ON, L6K 3S4, or via e-mail to: ablackburn@oakvillebeaver. com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. 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