Safety for students beyond the classroom Motorists reminded of road safety around schools

This week, as school returns, motorists are urged to pay extra attention while driving with more buses and cyclists on the roads and young pedestrians crossing the streets.

With the recommencement of schools, rangers will be patrolling high traffic areas such as drop off areas, bus zones and school crossings to ensure all students arrive to school safely and motorists abide by the traffic signs, in particular in school zones.

Police will be focusing on school zones to ensure traffic obeys the 40km/h speed limit around schools.

Motorists are reminded of the varying times of the 40km/h school zones around Moree:

• Moree East Public: 7:30am - 9:30am, and 1:00pm - 3:30pm, Monday – Friday; • All other schools: 8:00am - 9:30am, and 2:30pm - 4:00pm, Monday – Friday.

Parents are advised to check their school newsletter to become familiar with the street signs and road rules that apply around their children’s school.

Common signs and rules include:

• Bus zone: do not park or stop in a bus zone between the advised hours (on the sign), penalties from $344 and 2 demerit points; • No stopping zone: do not stop along the road near a no stopping zone sign, penalties from $344 and 2 demerit points; • Children’s crossing: do not stop on or near a flagged children’s crossing, penalties from $457 and 2 demerit points; • Double parking: do not park or stop on a road adjacent to another vehicle, this includes for short periods of time to drop off and pick up passengers, penalties from $344 and 2 demerit points.

After weeks of upheaval for our school communities, we are seeking the community’s assistance in ensuring the transition back to school and the usual routine is as seamless as possible, including making the journey to and from school safe for our students and their families.