Education
NAVIGATING
THE SCHOOL ZONE how to keep everyone safe With increasing traffic volume, school enrolments at capacity, and just the general morning rush, navigating the school zone at drop-off and pick-up can be a hazard that even Indiana Jones would shy from. Knowing the rules and having a few tricks up your sleeve can help.
School zones – the rules School zones are installed to reduce traffic speed near schools during the times indicated in the school zone sign. School zones are identified by signs which are displayed on both approaches to the school and show the speed limit and the times during which it applies. School zone times have been standardised in Queensland to help motorists remember when to slow down. The standard operating times for school zones in the Brisbane and greater Brisbane area is 7–9am and 2–4pm, with split-campus schools (on opposite sides of a road) running from 7am–4pm. When driving through a school zone you must reduce your speed to the limit displayed – usually 40kph – or lower if conditions require. Fines apply for exceeding the speed limit in a school zone within its designated times.
Why do we have school zones? Children are at risk around school areas because they are small, can’t be easily seen by drivers, are more prone to running, have difficulty judging vehicle speeds and gaps, and have poorer perceptive skills than adults. School zones are designed to alert drivers to the presence of children and to allow children safe access to the school’s grounds.
Keeping children safe in school zones – tips for motorists School zones are very busy areas and drivers can easily become distracted. Parking spots are hotly contested, and when traffic is bumper-tobumper, manoeuvring into a newly vacated space can be tricky. Remember to SLOW down:
Slow your speed; things can change quickly in a school zone and you need to be ready to react.
20
Look for hazards; the child who has let go of Mum’s hand and is running to greet friends.
Observe the rules; don’t stop in a no-standing zone or block a crossing etc.
Your Local Families Magazine February / March 2020 www.familiesmagazine.com.au
Wait; be patient – you know that you’ll soon be on your way again, and impatience creates its own hazards.