With school zones back in force, police are reminding motorists to slow down.
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Bowral Police chief inspector Brendan Bernie said police enforced school zones of 40 kilometres per hour.
“Police will be out ensuring speed limited are complied with to ensure the safe passage of children to and from school,” chief inspector Bernie said. “The majority of drivers do the right thing, however it only takes an incident where a driver is speeding or using a phone for a tragic outcome to occur.”
Traffic and Highway Patrol Command’s assistant commissioner Michael Corboy said most school students returned from holidays on Tuesday, July 18.
“Road safety is our number one priority,” Mr Corboy said. “Despite the decline in legal actions taken, police will remain on the road, targeting those who have been speeding, double parking, or using phones in school zones.
"School zones are there for a reason, with flashing signage, to keep our children safe."
Most school zones operate from 8am to 9.30am and from 2.30 to 4pm.
The following road safety advice is recommended around school zones:
When dropping off / picking up children by car:
- Make sure your children are in an appropriate child car seat that is fitted and used correctly.
- Stick to the 40km/h speed limit in a school zone as children are about.
- Look for buses pulling out – watch for flashing wig wag lights.
- Always park and turn legally around schools.
- Avoid dangerous manoeuvres such as U-turns and three-point turns.
- Always give way to pedestrians particularly when entering and leaving driveways.
- Drop your children off and pick them up on the school side of the road in your school’s designated drop off and pick up area.
- Calling out to them from across the road is dangerous – they may run to you without checking for traffic.
- It’s safest for children to get out of the car on the kerb side of the road to be away from passing traffic.
Walking together to and from school with children:
- Plan your trip to school so you use pedestrian crossings where possible.
- Always hold your child’s hand.
- Children need your help to spot dangers such as vehicles coming out of driveways.
- They can also be easily distracted and wander into traffic.
- Drop off and pick up your child near the school gate and avoid calling them from across the road.
- Talk with your children about Stop, Look, Listen and Think every time they cross the road.
- STOP! one step back from the kerb.
- LOOK! for traffic to your right, left and right again.
- LISTEN! for the sounds of approaching traffic.
- THINK! whether it is safe to cross.
