Citing speeding cars and near-misses, parents of George Jay Elementary School students are calling for changes to improve safety for young students as they go to and from school.

The school borders on Cook Street B次元官网网址� one of VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 main artery roads B次元官网网址� and parents say commuters are not respecting the posted speed limits, jeopardizing the 400-plus students that attend the school.

B次元官网网址淭his is an elementary school with the most vulnerable children in our city,B次元官网网址� said Angela Carmichael, co-president of the George Jay PAC. B次元官网网址淭here has already been one child hit, and many other incidents involving road safety. Why is the school not a priority?B次元官网网址�

In 2015, the section of Cook Street that passes the school was lowered from a 40 km/h speed zone to a 30 km/h school zone.

Parents and staff remain concerned and continue to push for more safety improvements, saying speed continues to be a major problem.

The difference between a pedestrian getting hit by a car travelling at 30 km/h versus 50 km/h is significant. A pedestrian hit at 30 km/h has a 90 per cent chance of surviving, whereas a pedestrian hit at 50 km/h has an 80 per cent chance of being killed, according to RoadSafetyBC.

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B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e quite frustrated. IB次元官网网址檝e been in contact with the City since September about multiple issues with traffic in and around our school zone. All weB次元官网网址檙e asking of the City is not to be kept on a waitlist to have safety upgrades done,B次元官网网址� Carmichael said.

The George Jay PAC will address the mayor and council at the Nov. 8 council meeting, and again at the budget meeting.

In response to the PACB次元官网网址檚 concerns, the City of Victoria started an investigation and is currently collecting data about volume and activity at the crosswalk, sign placement, lighting, etc. to make sure everything engineering-wise is in order.

B次元官网网址淭he overall objective is to have drivers be more respectful and compliant with the laws,B次元官网网址� said Brad Dellebuur, City of VictoriaB次元官网网址檚 assistant director of transportation. B次元官网网址淭hey want their kids to get to school safely. So do we.B次元官网网址�

Dellebuur said they will be attending the next PAC meeting on Nov. 29 to hear more about the schoolB次元官网网址檚 concerns.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檒l see where the conversations go. If there are things that require capital investment we will send that to council,B次元官网网址� said Dellebuur. B次元官网网址淭here will be some follow up meetings with PAC and school administration and then weB次元官网网址檒l see if we can come to a consensus on what needs to be done.B次元官网网址�