Slow down near schools

School starts again next week and motorists need to be extra vigilant.

Waitakere Councillor and youth advocate Linda Cooper wants to remind motorists to keep their speed down around the city's schools and children.

Councillor Cooper hopes all motorists would be willing, in the interests of our children, to adopt a voluntary speed limit of 40km/ph when driving near schools.

"We, as a community, need to get into the mindset of keeping our speed down near schools - we need to work together to keep our road toll down and our kids safe," Councillor Cooper says.

"Slowing down near a school may make your overall trip 30 seconds longer but it may save a child's life, and save you a lifetime's worth of guilt and regret," she says.

Police in Waitakere will also be conducting extra patrols around schools next week and anyone travelling five kilometres per hour over the speed limit within a school zone will be fined, in a move the police say is designed to "reduce road trauma involving Waitakere's vulnerable road users and the speeding motorists".

Waitakere road safety coordinator Kitch Cuthbert says that while the police are increasing their surveillance and lowering their tolerance of speeding near schools there is simply no need for anyone to be ticketed.

"It's simple; speed kills kids - so just keep your speed down."

ENDS

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