In the last year, 37 percent of parents have witnessed a car collision or near miss in a school zone, and over 70 percent of those involved a child, according to new research.

Aviva Canada and Parachute, a Canada’s national charity dedicated to injury prevention, conducted the research as part of their Elementary Road Safety Program – bringing safer school zones to communities across the country. Over the next five years, 20 schools from across Canada will be selected to each receive $10,000 and program support from Aviva Canada and Parachute, which will go to make tangible environmental changes to improve road safety in their school zones.

“Our recent road safety survey revealed that nearly a quarter of Canadians, or someone they know, have been involved in a road related collision near their school, which is completely unacceptable,” said Catherine Brown, Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility at Aviva Canada. “Through our new social impact platform, Take Back Our Roads, we’re working with experts to make infrastructure changes that make our roads safer. Our partnership with Parachute and the creation of the Elementary Road Safety Program is a perfect example of that commitment.”

Key survey findings:

  • Over the past 12 months, 37 percent of parents with school-aged children report having witnessed a collision or near miss involving a car in a school zone.
  • Of those respondents, nearly three-quarters of them (more than 70 percent) report that the incident involved a child.
  • 50 percent have witnessed a car illegally pass a school bus in their school zone.
  • 22 percent of Canadians have also been involved, or know of someone who has been injured in, a road-related collision in and around their local school zone.

Three schools have been selected for the Elementary Road Safety Program, with the remaining 17 schools to be selected over the next two years through consultations with school boards and public safety groups across Canada. Aviva Canada and Parachute have developed a digital version of the Elementary Road Safety Guide available at www.takebackourroads.ca and parachute.ca/elementaryroadsafety for any parent or school group interested in making their school zone safer but not initially selected as part of the official program.