The new school year resumed for thousands of students this week and Parkes, Forbes and Lachlan Shire Councils are reminding local drivers and parents about children’s safety around schools.
There are 40km/h school speed zones around all schools in NSW. Most school zones are operational between 8 – 9.30am and 2.30 – 4pm on school days. The school zone in Bushman Street, Parkes is operational from 8am – 4pm. Police will be targeting school zones to ensure drivers obey the 40km/h speed as soon as school returns.
Parents and carers can help students remain safe by regularly reinforcing important road safety behaviours with their children, and following the below tips.
• Always make sure children wear a seatbelt or use a child restraint. Child restraint laws require children up to seven years old to be restrained in an approved child restraint.
• Always drop-off and pick-up children on the school side of the road.
• Make sure children use the footpath-side door, or safety door, when getting in and out of a car.
• Never call children across the road to you.
• Use a pedestrian crossing where possible and avoid being distracted by friends, mobile phones or listening to music through headphones whilst walking.
• Children aged up to 10 years old should always be supervised when near traffic.
• Children aged up to eight years old should always hold an adult’s hand when crossing the road or walking near traffic.
• Make sure children always wear a helmet when riding a bike.
• If your children catch a bus, always walk them to the bus stop. “Children are vulnerable road users. They are at risk in traffic because of their size, their inability to judge speed and distance, as well as the fact that they may behave unpredictably,” said the Councils’ Road Safety and Injury Prevention Officer, Melanie Suitor.