School’s back! Let’s get there safely
With school resuming for most students today, it is the perfect time to remind all road users to be vigilant when it comes to driving in and around school zones.
Lake Macquarie City Council would like to remind parents, carers and all road users to park safely and appropriately when dropping children at school.
Often drivers can feel rushed during the busy school drop-off and pick-up periods and this can lead to inadvertently parking illegally. Be sure to allow enough time for school drop-offs and pick-ups and obey all parking signs within the school zone to avoid unnecessary risk and fines.
Parking restrictions near schools are designed to protect children and pedestrians.
These include:
'No Stopping’ zones - you must not stop your vehicle at any point on the road or kerb, unless there is a medical or other emergency;
'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 to immediately pick up or set down your child and drive off as soon as possible. You must not stop your vehicle within three metres of any double centre lines or an Australia Post letter box;
‘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 20m before and 10m after, a children’s crossing or pedestrian crossing; and Council officers are patrolling local schools and issuing fines for breaches and offences to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all school students, particularly younger children.
