Motorists are reminded to slow down and remain vigilant with school zones back in force from Monday 22 July, as Term 3 commences in NSW.
Sally Webb, Deputy Secretary of Safety, Environment and Regulation at Transport for NSW said school zones are generally in place from 8 to 9.30am and from 2.30 to 4pm, and although Monday is a teacher development day at some schools, some students still return to school tomorrow.
“Children can be curious and unpredictable on the road, so please look out for them when they are crossing, waiting to cross or as they get on or off buses.
“Tragically, 23 children were involved in a crash in an active school zone last year, and five of them were seriously injured. We don’t want more children to be hurt on our roads, so we need everyone to be responsible.”
Ms Webb said drivers need to observe school zone limits and those who disobey road rules and gamble with the lives of children will face higher penalties and risk losing their licence.
“We take road safety around schools very seriously, which is why we have over 1,450 trained school crossing supervisors at over 980 schools across NSW, to help students arrive to school and leave safely.
“I also encourage parents and guardians to start teaching their children from a young age about how to be safe on the road. Remind them to Stop! Look! Listen! Think! every time they cross the road, and to keep checking until they safely reach the other side,” Ms Webb said.
For more information on school zones, please visit https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/roadsafety/community/schools/school-zones