Movin March 2017

Stopping and Parking outside Schools

When children arrive or leave school each day, your driving behaviour can protect them or endanger them.

Parking rules around your school are there to protect children and increase visibility both for pedestrians and drivers.

Please Do:

• Park legally & away from the school gates.
• Use the crossings & walk the short distance to school. 
• Use the car doors on the footpath side. 
• Use bright or hi viz jackets and backpacks. 
• Talk with your children about ‘sneaky’ driveways, how fast cars go and safe places to cross.

Please Don’t:

• Call out to your kids to cross the road! 
• Double park or park on yellow lines. 
• Block footpaths or driveways. 
• Speed near our schools!

Local Police CAN and WILL issue tickets to drivers who do not drive and park legally and safely

DID YOU KNOW: If you choose to stop or park illegally you are liable for the following fines:

Stopped/parked on broken yellow lines - $60

Stopped/parked on or within 6 metres of a pedestrian crossing - $60

Stopped/parked on the footpath - $40

Stopped/parked over or within 1 metre of a vehicle entrance - $40

Parked within 500mm of a fire hydrant with no one in a car legally capable of moving it - $40

Stopped or parked closer than 6 metres to a bus stop marked only by a sign or on a marked bus stop - $40

Double parked - $60

Any stopping or parking that is inconsiderate to other road users, inclusive of pedestrians - $60

Stopped or parked in or within 6 metres of an Intersection - $60

Parked on roadside grass plot, shrubs or flower beds - $40

Feet First editorial - Wairarapa Midweek

We all have a “copy cat”

By Holly Hullena – Road Safety Coordinator / School Travel Planner

The age-old saying: “make good choices” comes to mind. Road Safety is particularly important this time of year as schools have started up and we are all vying for our space travelling to get there. In amongst this hustle and bustle, we tend to forget some of the basics in safety and we need to be able to take a breath, think and do the right thing as often we have children around us ready to follow in our footsteps.

Common things to remember to show our children how to stay safe:

• Slow down! – if you are a rush, you may forget to double check for anyone crossing the road or a cyclist that is to your left. Children are often excited to see their friends. They may not be looking out for you.
• Wear your seatbelt – make it click EVERYTIME. Ensure before you start up the car that all children in the vehicle are restrained properly. Children under 7 years of age must be in an approved child restraint.
• Use the crossings – Make it a rule. Even if it is only a few metres in the opposite direction. Pedestrian crossings make sure you are seen and that vehicles stop for you.
• Park your car properly – Don’t park on yellow lines or bus stops. It means you are obscuring the view of someone else’s child trying to cross the road properly. It doesn’t hurt to park down the road and allow your children to walk an extra 50 metres to the school gate. It will also allow them to grow some independence and you can still see them.
• Use your “noggin” – Make sure you are wearing a helmet that fits you properly. Check your child is wearing theirs. If your child is under 10, cycle with them to school. Children do not develop their peripheral vision until they reach 10 years old. Their judgement to speed and perception is not great.
• School Buses – Park your car on the same side of the road as the bus. Make sure when you are driving past a school bus that your speed is 20km (it’s the law). Talk to your children about the Curb-side drill.

 The world is a busy place, but there is no need to hurry when around the school gate. Nothing in this world is more precious than our children, so look out for them, look out for others and set a good example.

Rural Schools High Vis Vest Rollout

Children waiting for the school bus on rural roads are often hard to see. We are providing children (via their schools) reflective vests to be worn when on the roadside waiting to get on and off the bus to help increase their visibility.

As a parent you’re probably well aware that children can be on the roadside waiting for the bus between 7-8.45am and returning between 3.15-4.30pm so if you’re on the road take more care knowing that a child may be running late in the mornings or excited to get home in the afternoons.

What else can you do to help make our roads safer?

1. The legal speed limit to drive past a stopped school bus is 20km/h in both directions, please slow down.

2. Look and think ahead when driving. Especially when coming into a section of sun strike or shading.

3. Look twice, when you quickly scan the road your brain only picks up what it is expecting to see, take a second look.

4. Encourage your child to be comfortable in bright colours. And if you’re out walking, riding or jogging on your rural road, make sure you can be seen.

Please share these messages with your neighbours. No matter if you’re walking, riding, jogging or driving, we ALL have a responsibility for our own safety and of those around us on Wairarapa Roads.

For more information contact your school in the first instance or contact us:

Holly Hullena - Projects Coordinator

Wairarapa Road Safety Council

Ph: 06 377 1379 / E: rsc@wairsc.org.nz

Wairarapa Schools Movin' March

About movin' march

Walking, cycling and scooting to school have many benefits for children. As well as being a great opportunity for regular exercise in the outdoors, they improve independence, physical and mental health, decision making, risk assessment and road safety skills.

There are so many ways to celebrate and support students to make active and sustainable trips to and from school, many of which can be incorporated into the curriculum in and out of the classroom.

Check out the facebook page or register on the website. Even though the month has already started, you can still be part of all the fun! 

Wairarapa Movin March Newsletter 2015

Fernridge School Pou & Shelter Project!

On May 23rd, 190 Fernridge school pupils welcomed an exciting new asset to their school and community. Opposite Kibblewhite Road heading towards Fernridge School a new shelter and Pou have been put up to promote safe and active travel to and from school. Their Pou design came from students inspired art and coached through the process by artist Sian Torrington.

"The idea around putting up the Pou is to highlight to drivers and the community that their is a school close by, small people share this road and the idea is to keep them safe whilst letting them remaining active in their travel to school by Cycling, Scooting and walking. The stretch of road heading past Fernridge School is 80km p/hr so it is vital that drivers and other road users remain aware" says Wairarapa Road Safety Coordinator Holly McGeorge.

Wairarapa Road Safety Manager Bruce Pauling also mentions "this project could not be achieved without the support of our Local roading engineers at Masterton District Council and of course Patrick, Warwick and the team at Totalspan for funding the shelter".

Photos Courtesy of Wairarapa Times Age.

Pou Project - Stronger Together

(Sian Torrington )

Sian has just completed a project with Fernridge School and Masterton Primary, both in Masterton, that was supported by the Wairarapa Road Safety Council and Greater Wellington Regional Council. It was part of the Regional School Travel Plan programme, which aims to have more children travelling safely, actively and sustainably, to school.

Sian worked with two full classes of ten year olds to create three pou each, which will be positioned along the walkways to the schools. They will act as markers at which children can be dropped off, and walk, bike or scooter from there to school. The aim is to encourage active transport, and a sense of ownership and observation of the route through art.

• Find out more: christchurchartgallery.org.nz

Road Safety Week 2016

This year we are all about celebrating our heroes and it's no different when it comes to the road. Students across Wairarapa rang into More Fm and sung the praises of those that get them from A to B safely.

Here are the 3 winners of Brand new Scooters and Helmets. Their super heroes also won big each receiving a $100 fuel voucher!!!

Pedal Ready Cycle Training

About the programme:

• Pedal Ready is funded and supported by the sustainable transport team at Greater Wellington.
• Jordan Roy and Nicky Morrison are the regional coordinators for the programme and they are supported by a network of qualified instructors.
• Holly (Project Coordinator - Wairarapa Road Safety Council) can take school bookings & enquiries by contacting 06 377 1379

Check out photos of training programmes held in Wairarapa. Pedal Ready is available for work, school, parents and trainers. Check out the Pedal Ready website for more details. 

Buckle up With Mitre 10

On Sunday 7th May the Wairarapa Road Safety Council teamed up with Mitre 10 Mega Masterton (am) & Martinborough (pm) to raise awareness around speed & seatbelts. People (big and small) tried out the ‘seatbelt demonstrator’, and put themselves in the draw to win an automotive prize pack or voucher from each store, and one of two child restraints or booster seats from the Road Safety Council.

Chocolates, information & giveaways were there for the kids to take away. A huge thank you to Both Mitre 10 Mega Masterton & Mitre 10 Martinborough for your partnership with us in promoting good road safety habits such as - ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SEATBELT!

Some videos of the big kids trying out the seatbelt demonstrator - for more check out our Youtube channel