Police yesterday announced officers would be using speed cameras and lasers and strictly enforcing speed limits within school zones, which are the areas within 250m of school boundaries. Drivers travelling at 5kmh or more over the posted speed limit will be given an infringement notice.
Police will also be monitoring school bus routes and enforcing the 20kmh restriction that applies to vehicles passing a school bus that has stopped to pick up or drop off pupils.
As part of the awareness campaign, bus drivers will adopt a practice used in other districts of turning on their hazard lights when stopped, to remind drivers when the 20kmh rule applies and to slow down.
"Hopefully, this will further remind people to slow down to 20kmh as they pass the bus," council transport manager Denis Mander said yesterday.
Sergeant Aaron Nicholson, of Wanaka, yesterday said the police backed the practice.
"We have had ongoing issues with motorists ignoring the 20kmh speed limit when passing school buses, and over the start of the school year we will be involved in enforcement action targeting anyone ignoring this important safety rule," he said.
District Highway Patrol Senior Sergeant Peter Muldrew yesterday said the aim was to prevent fatal and injury crashes involving children around schools.
"Children tend to think about one thing at a time and not be so aware of other things happening around them, and can have difficulty judging the speed of moving vehicles.
"There are also many high-school-age students who are new drivers and it's important for them and for more experienced motorists to be aware of the risks."
Between February and December 2009, 55 injury crashes involving children aged between 4 and 18 occurred within school zones in the Southern district. Those crashes injured 72 people, 10 of them seriously.
Major risk times were between 7.30am and 9am, and 2.30pm and 4pm.
Drivers aged 15 to 19 were at fault in 41% of the injury crashes. The figures also showed 19% of drivers on their restricted licence, and 14% on their learner's licence, were at fault in injury crashes within school zones.
