Halton police have released the results from their most recent traffic blitz and more than half of the tickets issued were for speeding.

The service’s annual road safety initiative “Project Safe Start” ran from August 26 to September 6.

Officers were out in full force as a reminder to drivers that children were returning to school.

The project stresses the need to slow down, remain alert for pedestrians and cyclists, and pay attention to school crossing guards escorting children across busy intersections.

During the 2019 blitz, officers issued a total of 4,178 tickets and 379 warnings.

Police say 59 per cent of tickets issued were for speeding, 19 per cent for sign infractions, 14 per cent for not having the right documentation and two per cent for using a hand-held device.

Halton police rolled out an aggressive social media campaign as part of the road safety initiative, which included targeted messages, reminding the community that pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and police all play an integral role in road safety within Halton Region.

“With more than 100,000 children returning to school in Halton at the beginning of September, Project Safe Start served as a timely opportunity for ‘recalibration’ of driver behavior to address any poor driving habits developed over the summer months,” said Sergeant Ryan Snow, Traffic Services Unit in a news release. “Road safety is truly a shared responsibility and when drivers comply with the rules of the road, everyone wins by arriving safely at their destination.”

Last year, 3,592 tickets were handed out during the two-week campaign.