Tasman District and Nelson City Councils will highlight the risks of speeding around schools in a new campaign that begins next week. The campaign runs in conjunction with the enforcement work being carried out by police during October targeting drivers speeding around school areas and when passing stationary school buses. It will also involve Year 7 and 8 students.
In February this year Police began to enforce a 6 km/h tolerance when issuing infringement notices to speeding drivers in school areas. This brought an immediate change in driver behaviour, however, speeds have since crept up again and in some areas speeds of 60 km/h and greater are not uncommon.
Since 2002 more than 900 children have been killed or injured after being struck by motor vehicles during school term. Tasman District Council Road Safety Coordinator Kirsty Barr said there was a direct link between driving speeds and the numbers of deaths and injuries we see on our roads.
“It takes twice as long to stop when travelling at 60 k/ph compared to 50 k/ph. If a pedestrian is hit at a higher speed there is less chance of survival. People who drive at 60 kmph in built up areas who don’t currently regard themselves as “speedsters” need to get this message,” she said.
As part of the education project, students and teachers from local schools will use ACC’s speed laser gun to record the speed of passing traffic and learn more about the problem in their local area. Information will be shared in the classroom as well as with parents through newsletters. The ACC speed trailer will also be placed nearby to remind motorists of the speed they are travelling anytime of the day and police will carry out targeted enforcement in problem areas.
“Children can be unpredictable around roads, and we can’t expect them to have the road sense of an adult. It is pretty simple really - the speed limit is 50 for good reason and if drivers don’t want a ticket they should stick to the limit and drive appropriately,” Kirsty noted.
The ACC laser speed gun and speed trailer will be in Tasman Schools during October and in Nelson schools during November.
