York Region is bringing its Canada Road Safety Week campaign to a Richmond Hill school zone, though some street safety advocates say awareness campaigns alone won’t fix roads built for speed.
By Staff Writer
A road safety awareness event focused on school zones and driver behaviour is coming to City of Richmond Hill as part of this year’s Canada Road Safety Week campaign.
The event, organized by York Region and its road safety partners, will take place Wednesday, May 13, 2026, from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Bayview Avenue and Crosby Avenue near Our Lady Queen of the World Catholic Academy.
According to the Region, the campaign is intended to remind motorists to slow down in school zones and watch for pedestrians, cyclists and students travelling to and from school.
York Region says representatives from police, paramedics, fire services and municipal partners will be present at the event to promote road safety messaging and raise awareness around speeding and distracted driving.
The campaign comes as concerns about pedestrian safety and dangerous driving continue to surface across York Region communities, including Richmond Hill.
While many road safety advocates welcome efforts to raise awareness, some critics argue campaigns centred on signs, reminders and driver education can only go so far if roads themselves continue to be designed primarily for fast vehicle movement.
Advocates argue suburban arterial roads often encourage speeding regardless of posted limits or awareness campaigns, and say more meaningful safety improvements require physical redesigns such as narrower lanes, raised crossings and shorter pedestrian distances.
Those debates have increasingly become part of wider conversations around suburban growth, traffic safety and street design across the GTA.