School zones get speed safety message across

JASON OXENHAM/Auckland City Harbour News

ROAD PATROL: Westmere Primary School patrol monitor Hannah Regan, 10, with travel-wise lead teacher Jenny Dryden, centre, and principal Carolyn Marino.

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People will soon be taking a slower ride past Westmere Primary School.

It’s one of 16 schools in Auckland that will have new 40kmh speed-limit zoning.

The school’s new speed limit will be highlighted with 38 new speed signs being installed around the central city suburb by the end of June.

Twenty-three other Auckland schools already have the 40kmh zone in place.

The traffic safety programme was developed by Auckland City Council to reduce serious and fatal injuries.

It trialled the lowered speed limit at St Joseph’s School in Onehunga in 2006 before extending it to other schools.

Westmere’s principal Carolyn Marino says with an increasing roll and new classrooms planned, a long-term commitment to road safety is needed.

"It’s more than putting a 40kmh sign up, it’s about educating families. It’s the hugest part. We want it to be an integrated learning approach."

Last year pupils helped collect data for a travel-wise plan with teacher Jenny Dryden.

Their research found most pupils who lived within a 1.5km radius of the school travelled by car.

She says attitudes are changing as they encourage the use of bikes, skateboards, scooters, and te waka waewae, the school’s walking bus.

More than 300 on-road crashes involving pedestrians and cyclists aged five to 18 were recorded between 2003 and 2007 in Auckland city.

With more than half of these happening on school runs, councillor and transport committee deputy chairman John Lister welcomes the extension of school speed zones.

"Speeding outside schools cannot be tolerated.

"Children deserve to be safe, especially when travelling to and from school."

- © Fairfax NZ News