 School zones all throughout the city that have been mostly vacant all summer will soon be dotted with bobbing backpacks and running distractions. We all want those children to get to school safely and to get home safely. That will happen if we slow down and pay attention. My message this year is simple. Do the smart thing, slow down in school zones. Vancouver City Police, the RCMP right across the province, police forces today are taking special special attention to ensure that every adult, every motorist is observing what they should be doing anyways which is making sure that our kids, that our grandkids are arriving safely at school. Today the kids are excited about school, they're meeting new friends in many cases, meeting new teachers, coming to new schools and their minds are on everything else but traffic so it's important that we pay attention as adults to make sure these kids get back home safely. Drivers can always help out by remembering a few important tips. Look for pedestrians especially in parking lots and in school zones. Always yield to pedestrians because it's the law and be alert when you're approaching an intersection and make sure you're looking left and right as well. As a parent you want to review the rules of the roads with your kids and if you're walking to school make it fun and make it interesting but remind them along the way what they need to do at each intersection and that's stop and look both ways. Some tips for pedestrians is always look the driver in the eye and make sure they see you before you cross the street. Take out headsets or any smart phones put them away and make sure you're not distracted when you're crossing the street and always use the designated crosswalks.