Driver blasts through safety stop

Surrey RCMP hand out warnings from kids during back to school safety blitz, and arrest 34-year-old woman who failed to stop outside school.

A Surrey RCMP officer hands out a Think of Me warning to a motorist during a back to school safety campaign.

A Surrey RCMP officer hands out a Think of Me warning to a motorist during a back to school safety campaign.

A motorist who failed to stop for police outside an elementary school in Cloverdale was arrested during a back to school safety campaign.

Surrey RCMP arrested a 34-year-old Surrey resident during the launch of the campaign, jointly organized by Surrey RCMP Traffic Services and partners the Surrey School District, ICBC, and the Surrey Crime Prevention Society.

The woman was later tracked down by officers and has been charged with two criminal driving charges – driving while disqualified – plus two counts of driving while prohibited, and one count of driving while suspended, a violation that falls under the Motor Vehicle Act.

The driver was also fined for speeding in a school zone and failing to stop for police.

The “Think of Me” traffic safety campaign resulted in 2,500 drivers receiving handmade warnings drawn by local students, along with 100 violation tickets and the arrest of a prohibited driver.

The five-day campaign aimed to draw attention to traffic and pedestrian safety in and around school zones during the first week back to school. An average of two child pedestrians aged five to 18 are killed, and another 42 children are injured in car crashes every year in Surrey, according to the campaign.

“While this campaign was a great opportunity for students and their schools to work with officers and volunteers to help build safer communities, it also helps us get dangerous drivers off the road,” said  Surrey RCMP Corporal Scotty Schumann.

“Now that schools have been in session for a full week, we expect drivers to be more mindful of the posted speed limit in school zones however will continue with our various enforcement efforts to remind them in case they forget.”

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Cloverdale Reporter