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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, September 2, 2016 | 6 The ABCs of back-to-school road safety Next week, thousands of Halton students will go back to hitting the books after a summer of fun in the sun. As they return to the classroom, our town streets and regional roads will become noticeably more chaotic. School buses will once again begin their daily routes and school crossing zones will return to being busy intersections in the mornings and afternoons -- it's a place where pedestrians and motorists must co-exist. To keep children safe, the Halton Regional Police Service is urging motorists to adhere to the rules of the road and has issued a reminder on the foundation of back-to-school safety, which includes: · Safe speeds -- Watch for the ashing 40 km/h zones and slow down in zones where signs are posted; · Seatbelts -- Always buckle up and make sure all passengers are wearing their seatbelt on every trip. They save lives. It's a no brainer; · School zones and buses -- Slow down and take extra care to look out for children in school zones and residential areas. Red ashing lights and an extended stop sign arm signals the school bus is stopped and traf c -- in both directions, unless the road is divided by a median -- is required to stop for students boarding or exiting a school bus. Remember, motorists should not proceed until the school bus stop sign is closed and the red lights stop ashing; · Stop signs -- The signs read stop, so do just that. When your vehicle comes to a halt, think, observe and only proceed when its safe to do so; · Safe operation -- Distracted driving is dangerous. Eliminate any distractions and keep your eyes on the road. Drive now, text later. Of cers with Halton Regional Police will be out on patrol looking for motorists who fail to follow the ABCs of back-to-school safety. As you grab your keys and put the car in drive, remember to take extra care on the road. Looking out for our youngest citizens, especially in school zones, residential areas, and near parks and playgrounds, can be a lifesaver -- yours and theirs. Although this might add a few minutes to your commute, it's time absolutely well-spent. 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, 5046 Mainway, Unit 2, Burlington ON L7L 5Z1 or via email to ablackburn@ oakvillebeaver.com. The Beaver reserves the right to refuse to publish a letter. Editorial "Connected to your Community" 5046 Mainway, Unit 2, Burlington ON L7L 5Z1 General Inquiries: (905) 845-3824 Classi ed Advertising: (905) 632-4440 Circulation: 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington (905) 631-6095 Volume 54 | Number 71 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 Advertising Director NEIL OLIVER KELLY MONTAGUE DANIEL BAIRD Managing Editor ANGELA BLACKBURN RIZIERO VERTOLLI Photography Director Business Manager LORI ANN GZOVDANOVIC Director of Production MARK DILLS MANUEL GARCIA Production Manager My View Director of Distribution CHARLENE HALL KIM MOSSMAN Circulation Manager I Supporting Canada's youths benefits all of us Pam Damoff Oakville North-Burlington MP nvesting in Canada's youths means investing in Canada's future. Our government is committed to ensuring young Canadians have what they need to succeed and a say in how their communities work. Over the past year, we have initiated a number of programs to make things easier for families, from the Canada Child Bene t and the Canada Summer Jobs (CSJ) program, to making post-secondary education more affordable and striking a Prime Minister's Youth Council, so the voices of our young Canadians can be heard in Ottawa. One of the most exciting parts of this summer for me was visiting students employed in Oakville North-Burlington thanks to the CSJ. I was very impressed by the work the stu- Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Canadian Circulations Audit Board Member Recognized for Excellence by Ontario Community Newspapers Association Canadian Community Newspapers Association dents were doing, the responsibility and professionalism they showed on the job and the amount of real work experience they gained through their employment. The CSJ program will allow each of them to return to their studies this fall better prepared for future employment and with a new-found see PM's on p.7 Proud Official Media Sponsor For: Pud by Steve Nease The Oakville Beaver is a member of the Ontario Press Council. The council is located at 80 Gould St., Suite 206, Toronto, Ont., M5B 2M7. Phone 416-340-1981. Advertising is accepted on the condition that, in the event of a typographical error, that portion of advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. The publisher reserves the right to categorize advertisements or decline.