Improving road safety

Mosman Council has launched an innovative new project to improve pedestrian safety around local schools.

Developed in conjunction with NSW police, it will target every school in the area over a three-year period, and involve Council rangers and police working together in a comprehensive education campaign followed by intensive periods of enforcement for both speeding and parking offences.

Pedestrians account for more than 11 per cent of casualties caused by car accidents in the Mosman area, and 48% of those, almost half, involve serious injury. Of those, children and young adults under the age of 20 are one of the most highly represented groups.

Objectives of the project are to improve road safety around Mosman’s schools, especially for younger children, and increase both parents’ and children’s knowledge of safe driving and pedestrian practices, as well as stricter enforcement of the road safety rules.

To launch the campaign at each location, rangers and police will both be present during peak drop-off and pick-up times for a number of days, to conduct face-to-face education with parents, drivers and children on road safety. They will distribute clear and easy to follow information sheets on road signs, road rules, penalties and safety tips for school zones, along with a guide to pedestrian crossings around schools.

The same information will be provided in leaflets for schools to distribute and use as a resource for road safety education classes. To reinforce the message brightly coloured stencils with ‘Stop, look, listen, think’ will be installed on the footpath bordering pedestrian crossings or traffic lights.

The first school for the three-year project is Middle Harbour Public School, and the campaign was launched there on Wednesday 13 February. The project will be rolled out at Blessed Sacrament and Queenwood Junior School later this year, and at remaining schools in the Mosman area over the following two years.

Road Safety flyer