Parents in a Quebec town are facing unexpected fines as authorities crack down on dropping off children at school, highlighting the challenges of school-zone safety and limited parking options. Police have been intercepting parents – in some cases, surrounding vehicles – for briefly stopping to let their children out near school zones where parking is prohibited.
The situation has left many parents feeling trapped between strict regulations and a lack of viable alternatives for safely getting their children to school.
School parking is unavailable, parking at the nearby Richelieu Market is prohibited for drop-offs, and the church parking lot is closed. School officials have suggested parents use Claudette-Lavergne Municipal Park on the other side of Route 366, but that option presents its own difficulties. The park is often full, and requires children to cross a steep, curved intersection without a crossing guard, particularly hazardous during the winter months.
“I play Russian roulette every morning,” said Judith Vincent, a mother of two students, who hasn’t received a ticket but fears one. Several parents feel caught between strict prohibitions and the absence of a realistic alternative.
Not a New Problem
The Draveurs School Service Center confirmed that school administration requested police intervention to address congestion and suggested the park or school bus as options. The school initiated the preventative police operation, and any tickets issued are at the discretion of the officers. Officials acknowledge the issue is longstanding and extends beyond the school itself, requiring involvement from the municipality and regional municipal county (MRC).
The situation underscores the need for broader community solutions to school-zone safety.
But when an issue has lingered for years, is police intervention really the way to begin addressing it?
One mother recounted that the officer who issued her a ticket apologized repeatedly while children watched, visibly upset.
The “Doorknob Syndrome”
While the goal of the police intervention – improving safety and traffic flow – is understandable, penalizing parents with no satisfactory options misses the mark.
This isn’t a case of parents attempting to drop their children off directly at the school entrance despite the existence of a designated safe route. In Val-des-Monts, such a route doesn’t exist.
There are no continuous sidewalks, no crossing guards, and Route 366 is a busy road with a steep incline and limited visibility. Delivery trucks further complicate traffic. “Let our kids walk? Impossible. Even I hesitate to cross in the winter,” said another mother.
This isn’t about convenience; it’s about fear.
What’s lacking is a proper school corridor: continuous sidewalks, protected crossings, clear signage, and the presence of crossing guards. Organizations like Mobi-O specialize in helping schools and municipalities develop tailored school transportation plans. Why resort to police intervention before seeking expert advice? Repression doesn’t replace infrastructure improvements.
One-Way Street?
Some parents have suggested making the road leading to the school one-way to improve traffic flow and prevent trucks from driving the wrong way. The measure merits short-term consideration, but could also simply shift the problem to neighboring streets. It would be a partial fix, not a lasting solution.
The CSSD acknowledges that a solution requires broader collaboration. The school service center is calling for all stakeholders – administration, the center, the municipality, and the MRC – to come together with parents and develop a cohesive plan.
Handing out tickets to families with no viable alternatives is counterproductive. It fuels anger, worries children, and doesn’t address the underlying issues.
School-zone safety isn’t enforced through fines; it’s planned, designed, and built with the community – not against it.
