Yellowknife (Aug 30/06) - A Yellowknife mother says she is afraid every time herself and her daughter must cross an intersection at Range Lake Road and Finlayson Drive North.

Linda Tourangeau says her nine-year-old daughter, Sara-Beth Lemouell-Tourangeau, was nearly struck three times crossing the intersection over the past year, she said.

Linda Tourangeau and her daughter Sara-Beth Lemouell-Tourangeau cross at the three-way-stop on Range Lake Road while a vehicle crosses behind. Tourangeau says her daughter was nearly struck three times by vehicles while crossing the intersection over the past year. - Jessica Klinkenberg/NNSL photo

"Why are they speeding? Where are they going?" Tourangeau wanted to know, as she watched cars going through the intersection last week.

"People don't follow the street lights," Sara-Beth added, while pointing to a crosswalk further up the busy road. "People don't even stop for that."

"What is scary is in the winter-time, you don't dare cross until they come to a complete stop," Tourangeau said.

Cars squeal by and barely wait for people to cross, said Tourangeau.

Yellowknifer was present Aug. 25, when Sara-Beth and her mother tried crossing the street only to find themselves dodging vehicles as they failed to come to a complete stop at the intersection.

"It's mild right now. It's a scary crosswalk," said Tourangeau.

She has lived on Range Lake Road for three years, and said that her neighbours also think the intersection is a hazard.

"There (are) no crossing guards," she said.

Tourangeau says she rarely sees police or bylaw officers except "sometimes, when they get a lot of complains."

But she doesn't know how to get drivers to obey the law. "I've spoken to a few people in the building. We just didn't know what to do. Do we call the city or the bylaw every time?"

Doug Gillard, manager of the city's Municipal Enforcement Division, said that with the coming school year, officers will be more vigilant while patrolling school zones.

"Range Lake Road and (other school zones) are one of our higher priorities, especially when schools start up," Gillard said.

"It's definitely an area we spend a lot of time."

Gillard listed fines for speeding starting at $50 for those surpassing speed limits by 1-15km/h, $75 at 16-30 km/h over the limit, and $100 for speeds 31-50km past the limit.

"Fifty-one (km/h) is a mandatory court appearance," said Gillard.

The officer did not know how many people have been pulled over in those zones for speeding.

"We don't keep stats on exactly where tickets are issued or what zones," said Gillard.

He said that there is no extra penalty for those drivers caught speeding in a school zone.

Tourangeau thinks that there are at least a few solutions that could help curb speeding in the area.

"I would like to see either some street lights or some speed bumps," said Tourangeau.