New guidelines will help schools improve road safety

The Automobile Association is welcoming the release of the NZ Transport Agency’s Safer journeys for rural schools guide and companion guidelines for school communities.

The main guide provides technical guidance for road controlling authorities and engineers so they can assess risk and identify the most effective solutions to improve road safety around schools.

The companion Guidelines for school communities is targeted at schools, boards of trustees and parents. It lists common road safety issues for schools, provides a short guide to help communities to identify the risks at their school, and then presents a range of effective solutions.

“Rural school safety is an important issue for many rural communities, especially concerns about traffic speed near schools on open roads,” says AA Policy Manager Simon Douglas.

“The guide talks about school safety being a shared responsibility for local communities as well as road users, and notes that speed limits are only part of the solution. There are many ways that communities can improve their children’s safety like improving carparks, off-road bus lay-bys and the visibility of the school zone with flashing warning signs or road markings.”

“The guidelines will help school communities to identify their safety risks and the most effective solutions. Research on school safety undertaken for the NZ Transport Agency concludes that the greatest safety gains come from engineering treatments that avoid the need for children to cross the road.”

“This includes things like changes to bus routes, better bus stops, and parking for parents on the same side of the school gate. These solutions help eliminate the risk.”

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