With students returning to classrooms across the city, Calgary’s Traffic Safety Team is pivoting its enforcement efforts toward playground and school zone safety to protect young pedestrians.
Patrols will rotate through communities across Calgary, beginning in the northwest, to target speeding and improve overall road safety around schools and parks. City officials are reminding motorists that playground zones remain in effect daily year-round from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Speeding fines in these designated zones scale based on how far a driver exceeds the limit. Traveling 15 km/h over the posted limit carries a $249 fine, while driving 30 km/h over results in a $543 penalty, not including additional victim surcharges and demerit points.
“Back-to-school season is one of the busiest times of year around schools and playgrounds,” said Brad Johnson, Inspector and head of the Traffic Safety Team. “Slowing down in playground zones is one of the simplest and most effective ways drivers can help keep children safe. A few extra seconds behind the wheel can prevent a serious collision and make our communities safer for everyone.”
The pivot to back-to-school safety follows the conclusion of Operation Silent Night, a targeted summer initiative conducted alongside the Calgary Police Service to combat excessive vehicle noise and aggressive driving along 17 Avenue S.W.
That operation yielded 240 tickets—including 41 noise-related violations—and 40 driver warnings. Officers cracked down on noisy exhaust systems, unnecessary engine revving, tire squealing, speeding, illegal U-turns, and uninsured vehicles. Under municipal bylaws, excessive noise includes any sound exceeding 92 dB(A) at idle or 96 dB(A) above idle.
“Operation Silent Night demonstrated the value of combining officer presence, education, and enforcement to address issues that matter to Calgarians,” Johnson added, noting that motorist behavior directly affects neighborhood livability.
Formed by City Council in November 2023 with $1.69 million in dedicated funding, the Traffic Safety Team consists of eight peace officers, two sergeants, and one inspector working to improve citywide road safety.