The Huntsville OPP is asking drivers to be extra cautious on Brunel Road, in the area of Brunel Road by Huntsville High School.
At the beginning of this school year the District of Muskoka installed overhead pedestrian crossing lights at the intersection of Brunel Road and Cora Street. The crossing lights are similar to the pedestrian crosswalk in the downtown core on Main St East and at West Street.
The new crosswalk was installed in an effort to create a safe location for students crossing Brunel Road to get to the High School. With the installation of the crossing lights, there is no longer a crossing guard at that location.
Even with the new safety measures, drivers must continue to be alert and yield to pedestrians crossing or about to cross the road, especially during peak times before/after school and lunch hour.
The Highway traffic Act of Ontario requires that drivers and cyclists must:
· Come to a complete stop and yield the entire roadway to pedestrians
· Drivers cannot proceed until the pedestrians (and any school crossing guard) have completely crossed and reached the sidewalk.
Pedestrians also have the responsibility to push the activation button (if available), wait for vehicles to come to a complete stop, and make eye contact/signal intention before stepping out, so they don’t step out in front of a vehicle.
Drivers should be aware there are traffic fines and demerit points associated with failing to yield to pedestrians. The ultimate goal however, is for drivers to be alert and avoid a situation where students are placed at risk. Traffic safety remains a top priority of the OPP and a key component of its public safety mandate.
