School zones enforced as Lake Mac kids head back to the classroom
As kids return to school this week, it’s the perfect time to remind the community to be careful when it comes to driving in and around school zones.
Lake Macquarie City Council is urging parents, carers and all road users to park safely and appropriately when dropping children at school.
School drop-off and pick-up periods can be busy and often drivers feel rushed. It’s important to allow enough time so that you can park legally and obey all parking signs within the school zone to avoid unnecessary risk and fines.
Lake Macquarie City Council’s Manager Environmental Regulation and Compliance Derek Poulton said as kids get ready for the final school term of the year, it’s important for the community to work together and create a safe environment around schools.
“Ignoring parking regulations is one of our biggest road safety issues around schools, and it puts our community, in particular, children at risk,” Mr Poulton said.
“Parents may feel rushed during pick-up and drop-off hours at school but if there are no spaces available to park, look a little further along the road, park and walk to pick up your children.”
Parking restrictions near schools designed to protect children and pedestrians include:
No Stopping zones – you must not stop your vehicle at any point on the road or kerb.
No Parking zones – you must not leave your vehicle parked or unattended. You may stop in a No Parking zone for a maximum of two minutes and not be more than three metres from the nearest point of the vehicle to immediately pick up or set down your child and drive off as soon as possible.
Kiss and Ride zones – some schools have ‘kiss and ride’ or ‘drop-off and pick-up zones’ for children in ‘No Parking’ zones. If your school has a program in place, remember to always drop off or pick up your child from the designated zone and follow the school’s procedures. You can stop in a kiss and ride area for two minutes only to pick up passengers and you must stay within three metres of the vehicle.
Bus Zone – you are not allowed to stop your vehicle in this area.
Mobility Parking – only vehicles transporting a current Mobility Parking Scheme (MPS) permit holder can park in areas displaying a mobility parking sign. The MPS permit must be displayed in the parked vehicle. MPS permit holders must comply with the conditions of use of the MPS permit.
Pedestrian and children’s crossings – you must not stop within 24m before and 15m after a children’s crossing or pedestrian crossing.
Council Rangers are patrolling local schools and issuing fines for breaches and offences to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all school students, particularly younger children.
