School bus risks need addressing

With the weather deteriorating and the cold wet conditions of winter becoming more prevalent, Taupö Area Police have a safety message to pass on to motorists travelling on the area's roads - particularly in relation to driving near school buses.

"School buses have an extremely important job to do by providing a safe and efficient service, transporting our children to and from schools and learning institutions around the area".

"The legal speed limit for motorists when passing a school bus that is dropping off or uplifting children is 20 km/h. This limit covers both sides of the road and is a law that is much ignored by a large percentage of motorists", says Acting Senior Sergeant Daniel Peat, Officer in charge of the Taupö Area Road Policing Group.

"With the weather becoming colder and wetter we are receiving more and more complaints of near misses and motorists not slowing for these buses".

"At this time of the year adverse weather can hinder visibility and increase stopping distances. At the same time children making the transition from the bus to the roadside are exposed to the elements and the possibility of them making ill informed decisions and rushing out into traffic increases".

"This is not a problem that can be solved by addressing one component on its own. We need the children to behave safely and take responsibility for keeping themselves safe, we need the bus driver's to alert children to risks approaching and we need parents to, as much as possible, drop off and uplift their children on the same side of the road as the bus".

However Acting Senior Sergeant Peat says the biggest danger comes from other motorists.

"We need them to be aware of their surroundings and to slow for school buses. Even at 20 km/h the injuries to a child hit by a car can be horrific. If motorists fail to slow down at all, a child has little to no chance of survival".

"Please be aware of the dangers posed before and after schools and drive accordingly".

Acting Senior Sergeant Peat says that the Taupö Area Road Policing Group, which covers from the Desert Road through to north of Tïrau, will be enforcing speed limits around school buses over the winter period.

"We make absolutely no apologies for doing so".

He says that motorists that are travelling more than 50 km/h over a temporary speed limit will instantly lose their licence for 28 days and will also have to appear in Court.

"This means travelling at 71 km/h past a school bus offloading children will result in you having to take a bus yourself and explaining your actions before a Judge".

"Be safe, be aware and be observant, this is a tragedy than we can prevent!".