Most Winnipeggers against year-round school zone speed limits, poll finds
CBC News | Posted: September 28, 2015 11:31 AM | Last Updated: September 28, 2015
68 per cent of respondents aren't in favour of year-round limits, while 27% support the idea
Most Winnipeggers feel the reduced school zone speed limit laws should not apply outside the school year, according to a new poll commissioned by CBC Manitoba.
Of the 600 Winnipeg adults surveyed randomly, Probe Research says roughly two-thirds (68 per cent) polled said they think speed limits in school zones should be restricted to 30 kilometres an hour, but only during months when students are attending classes.
Meanwhile, 27 per cent said they support having the reduced limits in place year-round.
Five per cent were undecided.
"Citizens from all walks of life and areas of Winnipeg supported leaving these speed restrictions as-is, although four in ten of those residing in neighbourhoods in the city's core area (40 per cent) would support extending these rules to apply year-round," Probe Research said in a release.
"Women (30 per cent, versus 24 per cent among men), those with a Grade 12 education or less (35 per cent) and residents of lower-income households (46 per cent among those earning less than $30,000 annually) were more likely than those from other socio-demographic groups to favour a year-round school zone speed restriction."
Brent Kosack, the father of a one-year-old daughter, said he believes extending the restrictions throughout the year is a bad idea.
"To me it just doesn't make any sense over the summer when the kids aren't at school to have that enforced," said Kosack.
Support for year-round enforcement
The law — which was put in place last fall in 171 Winnipeg school zones — currently stipulates that the 30 km/h speed limits are lifted during July and August when students are on summer vacation. During the school year, tickets for speeders range between $181 to $312.
As the reduced limits came back into effect this September, Mark Wasyliw, chairperson with the Winnipeg School Division, said he wished they were in place year-round.
Wasyliw maintained that the seasonal rules are "confusing for drivers." Having the laws in place all of the time would also help protect kids who continue to use school grounds during the summer, he added at the time.
Despite the poll results, Aleksandra Chomick said she supports enforcement 365 days a year.
"I would say implement it year-round, because especially around the school zones, the play zones are in front of the buildings and surrounding the road, so it's constant," said Chomick. "It's not just the school year."
Robert Laflamme lives on Harrow Street near Corydon Avenue and is also part of the minority who are in favour of year-round restrictions.
"Especially in this area, the proximity of schools and churches on both corners, people should be ticketed all year," said Laflamme.
"A lot of people don't live in this area, but use this particular street going back and forth as a short cut and a lot of them are speeding down here, even since they put the zone in."
'It's not that busy'
For Rocky McLeod, who drives as part of his job, extending the restrictions throughout the year isn't necessary. His personal experience has led him to believe kids aren't spending time at schools or their playgrounds much outside of the school year.
"During the summer, I notice the school grounds are just not used because kids are out doing something else, so there isn't a high populace of kids in the area," said McLeod. "As school starts up again it gets busy, so it's good they slow down during the year, but other than that, it's not that busy."
Results from the Probe Research poll are 95 per cent accurate within plus-or-minus four percentage points of what they would've been if every Winnipeg adult was surveyed. The margin of error increases with each of the survey's population sub-groups.