BURNABY, BC, Nov. 12, 2026 /CNW/ -- New research commissioned by BCAA & CAA finds an alarming average of 4.5 pedestrians a day nearly hit at crossings around schools and confirms how everyone can help make school zones safer.

The research used video cameras and AI analysis to monitor 30 school crosswalks in 11 Canadian cities over five school days, including two in the Vancouver area.

Nationally, researchers recorded 660 total near misses during the short study period. That's 1 in 84 people crossing the street experiencing a near collision with a vehicle. 

"Although it's hard to read about near misses in school zones, this research gives us solid evidence about what we can all do to keep people safer," says Linda Lawlor, Associate Manager, Community Impact at BCAA. "The positive message we can take from this is while there are lots of factors involved in risk, our own actions are important and do make school zones safer for everyone."

Among the school zone crossings studied, the report revealed several factors that reduced risk including speed, signage and other road safety features:

• People using crossings without school zone or reduced-speed-zone signage were 67 per cent more likely to be involved in a near miss.
• Locations with a traffic signal, stop sign or roundabout had a near-miss rate 20 times lower than those that did not. 
• Zebra markings at crosswalks resulted in 56% fewer left- and right-turn near misses.

The research also found that school crossing safety concerns extend beyond school hours. While 242 combined incidents were noted between 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m., typical school start and end times, the single highest number of incidents, 94, occurred between 5:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. This shows school zones are busy parts of communities even outside normal school hours, as many people use school playgrounds, fields and buildings.  

"The research is alarming, but it also confirms the huge importance of simple things we can all do to keep school zones safer," says Linda Lawlor. "For drivers, just slowing down and being ready to react to the unexpected significantly reduces the risk of injuring someone. And for those walking or riding near schools, always using a marked crosswalk more than halves your risk."

BCAA shares school zone safety reminders:

Safety Tips For Drivers:  

1. Slow down and check the signs 
   The standard school zone speed limit in BC is 30 km/h from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on school days, unless otherwise posted. Some communities have adopted extended hours or all-day school zone speed limits, so always check local signage. Playground zones remain 30 km/h from dawn to dusk every day of the year. 
2. Stop for pedestrians 
   Drivers must stop for pedestrians at marked crosswalks. The safest approach is to stop when someone is at the curb and remain stopped until everyone has safely reached the other side. 
3. Follow crossing guards and student patrollers 
   Drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians are legally required to obey the instructions of school crossing guards. 
4. Eliminate distractions 
   School zones require full attention. Put away electronic devices and minimize other distractions, such as eating, adjusting the stereo, or conversations that take your focus away from the road. 

Safety Tips for Families and Students 

1. Use marked crosswalks Always cross at marked crosswalks and make eye contact with approaching drivers before entering the roadway. Where crossing guards are present, follow their instructions. 
2. Use designated drop-off and pick-up zones  Use designated areas whenever possible and have children enter and exit vehicles on the sidewalk side. Avoid double parking, which reduces visibility and increases risk. 
3. Help reduce congestion Consider walking, cycling, carpooling, or parking a block or two from school and walking from there. Schools may also offer safe walking routes, walking school buses, or other active transport initiatives. 
4. Ride safe and stay alert   Travel safely and wisely if you're using a traditional or electric bike, scooter or any type of wheels. Follow the rules of the road including age restrictions for electric devices, stay alert around crossings, remove ear buds and put phones away, and always wear an approved helmet.

About the research

The cities in the study, conducted for BCAA/CAA by Miovision and Fireseeds North Infrastructure, were Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Saskatoon, Regina, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Toronto, St. Catharines, Montreal and Halifax. The authors studied crosswalks along a mix of local, collector and arterial roads. All of them were established travel routes to nearby schools selected by the participating municipalities.  

The full study can be found here: https://www.caa.ca/app/uploads/2026/11/Near-Misses-at-School-Crosswalks-in-Canada-Study.pdf 

About BCAA

Driven by its purpose to move British Columbians forward, BCAA (British Columbia Automobile Association) is a long-standing BC Top Employer (Mediacorp) and provides over 1 in 3 BC households with industry leading mobility and protection services including Membership, Insurance, Auto Marketplace, Task Marketplace and Auto Service Centres as well as Evo Car Share and Evolve E-Bike & E-Scooter Share. BCAA invests in programs and initiatives to make a positive impact by protecting the people and province of BC, recognizing that the place we call home is all of Ours to Protect. 

Miovision 

Miovision, a global leader in intelligent mobility for 20 years, provides cities with modern tools to fix today's traffic problems, helping over 5,000 customers in 68 countries. With technology that has detected more than 77 billion vehicles and 3 billion pedestrians and cyclists, Miovision provides cities with the insights and tools they need to manage traffic proactively. By shifting from reactive to data-driven traffic management, Miovision empowers communities to design smarter, safer, and more efficient streets for all road users. 

Fireseeds North Infrastructure 

Fireseeds North Infrastructure is a specialized road safety engineering firm based in Winnipeg that conducts road safety audits and road safety research globally. 

SOURCE British Columbia Automobile Association (BCAA)