Drivers are ignoring stop signs in Oakville, Burlington, Milton and Halton Hills

Drivers in Milton, Burlington, Oakville and Halton Hills failed their back-to-school test when it comes to proper use of stop signs.

Halton police’s Traffic Services Unit ran its annual Project Safe Start campaign ran from Aug. 26, to Sept. 6 and focused on education, awareness and high-visibility enforcement of traffic laws throughout the region.

The final statistics showed failing to stop at a stop sign was found to be the most common offence observed by officers.

“Traffic laws are essentially the playbook for safe driving. When everyone chooses to play by the rules, we all win,” said Staff-Sgt. Ryan Snow of the Community Mobilization Bureau. “Thank you to all area motorists who helped ensure area children had a safe start this school year.”

Over the course of the campaign, officers committed 2631 hours to Safe Start education and enforcement with 1,280 charges laid and 1,331 warnings issued.

As failing to stop for a stop sign was the most common offence, accounting for over half of the offences laid, Halton police has issued some reminders to drivers that, when approaching a stop sign:

• Ensure your vehicle wheels stop rolling and you bring your vehicle to a complete stop
• Stop your vehicle at a marked stop line
• If no stop line is present but you are instead faced with a crosswalk, stop immediately before entering the crosswalk
• If no stop line or crosswalk is present, stop immediately before entering the intersection

Project Safe Start has run for 17 years and has served as a highly-visible reminder to vehicle drivers, cyclists and pedestrians to follow the proper traffic safety laws and heed extra caution around school zones.

Residents are reminded they can file driving complaints or request enforcement of a particular area through the HRPS website.

Criminal and or dangerous driving should be reported immediately by calling 9-1-1.