Poor road awareness no excuse for forgetting school zones
WITH Southern Downs students back to school today, drivers are being urged to pay extra attention to school zones and reduced speed limits.
A recent survey found over 43% of motorists didn't slow their speed down to the required 40kmh, saying they simply "forgot” about school zones.
Lauren Ritchie from the RACQ said being unaware was not good enough for road users.
"Speeding is no accident and the consequences of not keeping an eye on your speedometer can be catastrophic,” Ms Ritchie said.
"School zone times are standardised in Queensland to help motorists remember when to slow down. The standard operating times for school zones in Queensland is 7-9am and 2-4pm, but drivers should be aware some schools have minor exceptions.”
With children as young as five around school zones during mornings and afternoons, Ms Ritchie said drivers needed to take extra precautions.
"When your eyes are off the road for just two seconds, a vehicle moving at 40km/h travels more than 22 metres, that's more than the length of a cricket pitch,” she said.
"It takes years for children to learn about spatial awareness and how to safely interact with traffic, so it's our role as drivers to keep an extra eye out around school zones, especially during drop-off and pick-up times.
"Kids should be able to travel to and from school safely. The speed limit is there to protect everyone and we urge motorists to drive with due care and attention in these areas.”
