Police Crack Down on Students Jaywalking in Duncan

They don't necessarily care if students are getting As, Bs, or Fs in class, they just don't want to see more close calls on the Trans-Canada Highway as students from Cowichan Secondary School jaywalk across the highway en route to a fast-food lunch break.

RCMP Cpl. Jon Stuart with the Duncan/North Cowichan detachment said the police have received several complaints since the beginning of September of students doing just that.

“We have students coming out from the businesses beside the highway and running across in front of traffic, causing members of the public to hit the brakes and veer their vehicle in a dangerous manner.”

Stuart said the police have been giving verbal warnings to students found taking their chances on the highway.

“We do not want any bad results out of this.”

Even though there’s a crosswalk just down the road from the school on James St., students continue to jaywalk to and from the fast-food restaurants across the street.  

So Stuart said police decided to start handing out tickets as a deterrent and will be patrolling the area through the school year, giving out $109 tickets at random.

Teenagers who do not have their driver's license would have to pay off any outstanding tickets before being eligible to get one.

Stuart said he cannot recall any major accidents along that stretch of highway involving jaywalkers, but pointed out that that is exactly what they are trying to prevent.