Back-To-School Reminder: School Zone Safety Advice For Motorists

Dear Parents, Carers and Year 12 Student Drivers,

Please see below a message from the QLD Department of Transport and Main Roads about school zone safety…

With school back, it’s a timely reminder for drivers to slow down in school zones, and pay attention at children’s crossings.

Coming back after the long holidays, it can be easy to forget what to look out for.

School zone signs are displayed as you approach the school, and show both the speed limit and the times you need to reduce your speed around the school.

Children’s crossings are identified by children crossing flags, which are displayed near crossings before and after school hours.

When the crossing is supervised, as a motorist you must:

  • Wait until all pedestrians, bicycle or personal mobility device riders have crossed the road, and the Crossing Supervisor has returned to the footpath.
  • Abide by the direction given by the School Crossing Supervisor.

If the crossing is unsupervised, as a motorist you must:

  • Give way to pedestrians, bicycle, or personal mobility device riders on or entering a children’s, pedestrian or marked foot crossings.
  • Give way to pedestrians, bicycle, or personal mobility device riders on or entering a road you’re turning into.
  • Give way to pedestrians, bicycle, or personal mobility device riders on a slip lane.
  • Give way to pedestrians in a shared zone.
  • Travel at a speed allowing you to stop safely at a crossing if needed.

As a driver, it’s important to make sure you give way to all pedestrians, bicycle, or personal mobility device riders such as skateboarders and e-scooter users.

You must also give way to pedestrians using a motorised mobility device such as a motorised wheelchair or mobility scooter.

Some of our most vulnerable road users are children getting to and from school.

So it’s important to slow down and abide by the crossing rules, as it won’t make much difference to the trip time, but it could very well save lives.

Please visit the Street Smarts Website to find more information about what to do at pedestrian and children’s crossings.