1 May 2009

Emphasis goes on driver behaviour:
Child traffic safety awareness campaign begins

Police are working with Papakura District Council road safety and roading staff to help keep children safe around school entrances.

This week, the Council launched a ‘Parking near a School’ safety awareness campaign to coincide with the new school term. The aim is to make parents aware that their behaviour when dropping off or picking up their children can place them at risk of injury or worse.

Papakura District Council Road Safety Co-ordinator Donna Dick says the campaign’s key message is that driver behaviour can either protect or endanger school-aged children and that children are at even greater risk than adults around school entrances, especially during busy drop-off and pick-up times.

The initiative will target parents through leaflets sent home in school newsletters. The awareness programme will be paired with an enforcement campaign by Police and parking wardens.

“Our aim is simply to keep our children safe. By increasing awareness of driver and parent behaviour at the school gate and how this impacts on safety, we hope to save lives. There are always complaints and near misses around our schools and often there are minor crashes between cars. Our school crossing volunteers and teachers have too many horror stories to tell about this kind of thing.”

“Parking restrictions are there for a reason – safety. Illegal parking obscures visibility for pedestrians and drivers. We are asking drivers to follow the parking restrictions to avoid parking infringements and save lives.”

The campaign is targeting schools throughout Papakura District where parking safety has been a concern.

The leaflet asks drivers to choose safe parking over convenience at all times. It gives a full list of parking fines, including:
• Parking on a footpath and parked across or within one metre of a vehicle entrance - $40.00
• Parking within six metres of a bus stop, double parked, parking on or within six metres of an intersection or pedestrian crossing and parked on a broken yellow line - $60.00

The leaflet also provides parking and behaviour tips for parents and caregivers:
• Have your children use the car door on the footpath side – it keeps them away from traffic
• Walk to the school gate to drop off or collect your children – always hold on to little hands
• Never call out from across the road – excited children forget to look for traffic
• Take extreme care when pulling into driveways close to the school – child pedestrians can be unpredictable and unaware of your presence
• Always set a good example with your children when crossing the road
• Never stop on yellow ‘No Stopping’ lines – they are there to ensure children can see and be seen
• On wet days drive slowly and with patience. Obey all school parking restrictions – be prepared to walk further than usual to keep safe.

ENDS

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