For over a hundred years, CAA has been helping Canadians stay mobile, safe and protected. The CAA Club Group is Canada’s largest automotive association comprised of two clubs, CAA South Central Ontario and CAA Manitoba, providing roadside assistance, travel, insurance service and member savings for over 2.3 million members. It also includes the CAA Insurance Company (a national property and casualty insurance company), the Orion Travel Insurance company and Echelon Insurance Company (a specialty insurer).


CAA Club Group

As the Manager of Community & Stakeholder Relations for CAA SCO, Tracy is responsible for overseeing a team that manages the organizations’ road safety programs and initiatives, including the CAA School Safety Patrol program. With a strategic focus on moving people safety, our road safety education and awareness campaigns are data driven and address relevant and current issues that are important to public, our stakeholders and CAA Members. These include, but not limited to, distracted driving, speeding and stunt driving, cycling safety, impaired driving, pedestrian safety, school zone safety, and Slow Down Move Over. Tracy has been with CAA SCO for 11 years in both marketing and advocacy roles. 

Tracy also has a passion for volunteer and charity work, and leads the organizations’ Charity Advisory Committee.

Community Relations

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School Zone Safety

CAA School Safety Patrol® Program

Fines of up to $4,000 could be handed out as back-to-school safety reminders are issued across Ontario

CAA urges drivers to be extra cautious in school zones

Dangerous Driving Behaviours in School Zones

Parents report dangerous driving in school zones: CAA survey

‘Always be aware’: Road safety top mind as kids head back to the classroom

Only 37% of parents think roads around their child's school are safe - CAA

Guelph teacher honoured for her efforts to promote road safety

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Manager, Community Relations

  As the new school year kicks off, CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO) is reminding motorists to remain attentive when driving through school zones as more children are present in these areas. A recent survey conducted by CAA SCO found that 60 per cent of parents surveyed are concerned about the driving behaviours witnessed in their child’s school zone and consider their child’s school zone unsafe – a five per cent increase from last year.

“It is no surprise that parents are concerned for the safety of their children; they have the right to get to and from school safely,” says Tracy Marshall, manager community relations CAA SCO, “speeding, double parking and stopping in school bus zones are all commonly reported unsafe driving behaviours parents see in their child’s school zones.”

As a result, a majority of parents (85 per cent) support reducing speed limits in school zones, with over 77 per cent of these parents agreeing that 30km/h or less is the most appropriate speed limit. 
Of those surveyed, 68 per cent of parents strongly support the use of Automatic Speed Enforcement (ASE) in school zones, and 79 per cent believe its presence would deter speeding around schools. Additionally, 3 in 4 (73 per cent) consider that ASE should remain permanent in school zones.

“Automated Speed Enforcement, along with the presence of police officers and speed bumps, continue to be identified as the primary measures to deter speeding in these zones,” adds Marshall, “through education, we hope to help motorists to make more responsible decisions behind the wheel to protect themselves and those around them.”

Tips for responsible driving behaviours in school zone areas: •	Help reduce traffic with active school travel: Encourage your kids to walk or wheel to school to ease traffic congestion. If your school is a further distance, CAA SCO encourages parents and guardians to park a block away and walk to school to reduce traffic and make school zones safer.
•	Put away distractions: Pedestrian safety begins with drivers. It’s important to put away distractions such as phones and be extra attentive in school zones, whether a parent is driving, or a child is walking to school.
•	Slow down: Know and respect the speed limit in your neighbourhood’s school zones. Give yourself plenty of time to drop off your kids at school to avoid rushing.
•	Choose a safe spot to drop off and pick up your children from school: Follow your school’s rules and avoid double parking or stopping on crosswalks, dropping off or picking up your kids on the opposite side of the street, and stopping in moving traffic as kids rush out. Instead, use the designated drop-off areas or consider a spot a bit farther away from school that is easily accessible and safe.
• Make eye contact with pedestrians: With the excitement of going back to school, anticipate that children may not easily see or hear your moving vehicle, so ensure to make eye contact with pedestrians crossing the road.
•	Stop for school buses: Never pass a stopped school bus with an activated stop arm and flashing red lights as children get on and off the bus. Passing a school bus as it loads and unloads children – not only is this dangerous, but it’s also illegal.
• Watch for CAA School Safety Patrollers: When travelling to and from school, watch for CAA School Safety Patrollers in their lime green safety vests, as they play an important role in ensuring the roadway is safe before kids cross on their own.

CAA supports safety in school zones through the CAA School Safety Patrol® program, developed to protect and educate elementary school children on safe road-crossing practices. CAA’s Ontario Road Safety Resource is a toolkit with valuable lesson plans for teachers to help educate students about road safety.

To learn more, please visit www.caasco.com/schoolzone. The online survey was conducted by DIG Insights in May 2024, with 1,520 Ontario parents/guardians with children attending school from kindergarten to grade 8. Based on the sample size of n=1,520 and with a confidence level of 95 per cent, the margin of error for this research is +/- 2%.)   

MEDIA RELEASE: Back-to-School Alert: CAA Urges Drivers to Stay Vigilant in School Zones as Student Traffic Increases

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  [ Left to Right: Kathryn Gratton, Elementary School Resource Coordinator and Deputy Chief Jason Saunders, Brantford Police Service. ] CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO) is proud to recognize two of its CAA School Safety Patrol® (SSP) program partners, the Brantford Police Service and, Windsor-Essex Schools Safety Patrol Association (WESSPA) for their outstanding contribution and dedication to the program. 

“CAA takes the safety of children and pedestrians very seriously and we work closely with our community and police partners to protect, educate and empower elementary school students to help keep their peers safe travelling to and from school.” says Tracy Marshall, manager of community relations at CAA SCO. 

“We are proud to celebrate this year’s CAA School Safety Patrol Program Achievement Award winners for their commitment to the program’s mission of keeping school zones safe,” adds Marshall. 

Kathryn Gratton, a civilian who works for the Brantford Police Service was recognized for going above and beyond to ensure program participants in her community were never left behind. Gratton has served her community through the CAA SSP program for four years and has trained over 2,300 Patrollers. 

This year, when other local regions were unable to train Patrollers, Gratton sprung into action to ensure students wouldn't miss out on the program. She continued training her schools and voluntarily offered to train other schools as well. From the 2022/23 school year alone, she has trained 26 schools and over 500 Patrollers. She also attended each school individually and had a pizza party with snacks and drinks for the Patrollers to show her appreciation for their hard work throughout the year.  

Through her proud involvement in the program, Gratton has clearly demonstrated the Brantford Police Service mission statement of being committed to enhancing safety for all. 

Brantford Police Service have been participating in the SSP program for over 50 years.

 [ Left to Right: Bernadette Arreola Community Program Consultant, CAA SCO and Linda Dowell, Windsor-Essex Schools Safety Patrol Association (WESSPA) ] Linda Dowell, who has been with the WESSPA for 18 years as the SSP regional partner, was recognized for her exceptional leadership that has directly impacted the program’s success.

After a two-and-a-half-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the WESSPA brought back the CAA SSP program in September 2022 with 55 schools and over 1,000 Patrollers. Through Dowell’s leadership, WESSPA was able to re-integrate all their program components and incentives. This included ensuring Patrollers, bus operators and local police partners received extensive school bus safety and foot patrol training as well as hosting special events for program participants. 

Despite being retired, Dowell has chosen to continue serving her community through the SSP program because of her passion and commitment to school zone safety.

The WESSPA have been participating in the SSP program for over 80 years.

The CAA School Safety Patrol® program has helped keep students safe in school zones since the 1920s by assisting at school crossings and on school buses. Every year, approximately 900 schools in Ontario participate in the CAA SSP program and CAA SCO partners with local partners to deliver the program. 

For more information, visit www.caaschoolsafetypatrol.com. 

MEDIA RELEASE: CAA honours the hard work and dedication of two School Safety Patrol program partners with Provincial Award

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  A recent survey conducted on behalf of CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO) found that 82 per cent of parents in Ontario have witnessed dangerous driving behaviours in school zones – that’s a four per cent increase compared to last year. More than half (55 per cent) consider the roads around their child’s school to be unsafe.

“Our children deserve to travel to and from school safely,” says Tracy Marshall, manager of community relations at CAA SCO. “As another school year begins, drivers should prepare for higher traffic periods in school zones and drive with extra vigilance.”

According to the survey, some of the most common dangerous driving behaviours parents have witnessed include speeding, double parking and stopping in undesignated areas.

 
Of those surveyed, the car remains the primary mode of transportation to and from school. Because of this, more than 80 per cent of parents report experiencing congestion around their child’s school. In fact, survey respondents believe that parents in a hurry (38 per cent), too much congestion (33 per cent) and parents not following the drop off or pick up procedures contribute the most to unsafe driving behaviours in school zones.

Majority of parents say more can be done to help drivers slow down in school zones. Ninety-one per cent of parents in Ontario support lowering the speed limit in school zones with 83 per cent that say speed limits should be 30km/h or lower.

When it comes to Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE):
Seventy-seven per cent – an 11 per cent jump compared to last year – strongly support the use of it in school zones. Eighty-one per cent believe its presence would deter speeding around schools. Seventy-five per cent say that it should remain permanent in school zones.  Drivers reminded to follow the rules of the road in school zones, especially near school buses. “It is dangerous and illegal to pass a stopped school bus with its red lights flashing and stop arm extended,” says Marshall.

 
According to the survey, 11 per cent of parents report having ever been charged with failure to stop for a school bus.

“Not only do you risk facing a fine of up to $2,000 and six demerit points for a first offense, but you are also putting the lives of others at risk,” adds Marshall.

How drivers can help keep school zones safe. Drivers can also use the following CAA tips to ensure they are staying safe in school zones: 
Help reduce traffic with active school travel: Encourage your kids to walk or wheel to school to ease traffic congestion. If your school is a further distance, CAA encourages parents and guardians to park a block away and walk to school to reduce traffic and make school zones safer.  Slow down: Know the speed limit in your neighbourhood’s school zones and respect them. Ensure you give yourself plenty of time to drop off your kids at school to avoid rushing. Choose a safe spot to drop off and pick up your children from school: Follow your school’s rules and avoid double parking or stopping on crosswalks, dropping off or picking up your kids on the opposite side of the street, and stopping in moving traffic as kids rush out. Instead, use the designated drop off areas or consider a spot a bit farther away from school that is easily accessible and safe.  Make eye contact with pedestrians: With the excitement of going back to school, anticipate that children may not easily see or hear your moving vehicle, so ensure to make eye contact with pedestrians crossing the road.    Watch for CAA School Safety Patrollers: When travelling to and from school, watch for CAA School Safety Patrollers in their lime green safety vests, as they play an important role in ensuring the roadway is safe before kids cross on their own.  CAA supports safety in school zones through the CAA School Safety Patrol® program, developed to protect and educate elementary school children on safe road-crossing practices. CAA’s Ontario Road Safety Resource is a toolkit with valuable lesson plans for teachers to help educate students about road safety.

 
To learn more please visit www.caasco.com/schoolzone. About the survey. The study, commissioned by CCG conducted by Dig Insights in May 2023 surveyed 1,560 Ontario parents/guardians between the ages of 18 and 74 with children attending school from kindergarten to grade 8. The margin of error for a sample of this size is plus or minus 2% at the 95% confidence level.



MEDIA RELEASE: CAA survey reveals an increase in parents witnessing dangerous driving behaviours in school zones

Canadian Automobile Association Announcement: 

CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO) in partnership with Ontario Tire Stewardship (OTS) unveiled a new outdoor classroom for the students of Tecumseh Public School.

CAA Recycle Drive

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