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School Zones Outside Child Care Services.
Recently a bus careering into a child care centre in Sydney (during the night, so no one was hurt) resulted in 2UE's talk back morning show hosting a discussion on whether child care centres and pre-schools should be given 40km/h speed restrictions in the same way that schools are.
Many respondents to the snap poll were not in favour, believing that there are many irrelevant school zones as it is (examples being Parramatta Road in an area with a pedestrian overpass) which only serves to slow down the already busy traffic.
Let us know what you think. Are you in Favour?
Views: 12
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by aimee brown on -
i think having a 40 school zone in childcare areas is also a fantastic idea. these children are too precious....
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Permalink Reply by Lisa N on
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I think that each childcare centre's location and situation should be taken into account but I definitely think it's worth considering.
My son's childcare centre is a prime example of where there should be a 40 school zone - it is in a semi-rural area (on the edge of a new home estate) and the speed at which some people drive down that road is ridiculous. It's in a 60 km zone and I have witnessed cars going past well in excess of 90 kms. I have stood on the side of the road many times waiting to cross, holding my son's hand very tightly, obviously in view of the driver and more often than not, they don't even slow down. It makes me so angry. No matter what road I am on, or what the speed limit is, when I see anyone anywhere near the side of the road (especially kids), I make sure I keep my eye on them just in case. Sometimes I wonder if the people driving past the childcare centre have ever driven past slow enough to even notice that the centre is there!
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Permalink Reply by Lorraine Grout on
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The reason school zones exist is not due to solely to children's lack of traffic awareness. Reduced speed zones exist around schools the same as they do around some sporting facilities due to the sudden increase of pedestrian traffics at certain times. There is a huge risk for pedestrians when large numbers of them are spilling out of a venue near a busy road. A child can be involved in an accident anytime due to their inability to accurately gauge speed and distance - that's why we as their parents must take responsibility to help them cross and / or encourage them to use pedestrian crossings. But a large number of pedestrians - whether child or adult - is a risk. I can't quite statistics but I imagine just as many drunken adults are involved in car accidents stumbling out of hotels at 1am. Are we going to start putting speed restrictions around them too? I'm all for reducing the risk to children but I don't believe increasing the number of school zones is the answer.
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Permalink Reply by kara baragwanath on
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Absolutely :)
I think the area of a school zone should be 40, not necessarily across the whole city.
An example: the child care centre where I live is straight across the road from a park, and kids walk across all the time. A kid walked across the street without looking, completely by passing the zone and ignoring it. A car had to brake heavily to avoid hitting the child.
In SA the sign says 25 while driving into an immediate zone, however most cars that I see brake quickly after passing the sign, generally with their foot still on the brake at the time of crossing the walkway.
Hope that helps
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Permalink Reply by kara baragwanath on
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I totally agree with you Lisa :) I've seen people fly past at 80 km/h > while the zone is 25
Lisa N said:I think that each childcare centre's location and situation should be taken into account but I definitely think it's worth considering.
My son's childcare centre is a prime example of where there should be a 40 school zone - it is in a semi-rural area (on the edge of a new home estate) and the speed at which some people drive down that road is ridiculous. It's in a 60 km zone and I have witnessed cars going past well in excess of 90 kms. I have stood on the side of the road many times waiting to cross, holding my son's hand very tightly, obviously in view of the driver and more often than not, they don't even slow down. It makes me so angry. No matter what road I am on, or what the speed limit is, when I see anyone anywhere near the side of the road (especially kids), I make sure I keep my eye on them just in case. Sometimes I wonder if the people driving past the childcare centre have ever driven past slow enough to even notice that the centre is there!
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