Slow Down to 20 – It’s the Law: Wairarapa Drivers Urged to Stop Risking Children’s Lives

Slow Down to 20 – It’s the Law: Wairarapa Drivers Urged to Stop Risking Children’s Lives

As children across the region rely on school buses every day, the Wairarapa Road Safety Council is issuing a strong reminder to motorists: when a school bus is stopped to pick up or drop off children, you must slow down to 20km/h – no matter which direction you're coming from.

The law is clear in New Zealand, yet near misses continue to happen on both local roads and state highways in Wairarapa, putting young lives at serious risk.

“Too many drivers either don’t know the law or choose to ignore it,” says Holly Hullena, Projects Coordinator at the Wairarapa Road Safety Council. “Slowing down to 20km/h when passing a stationary school bus isn’t just a guideline—it’s a legal requirement. Children are unpredictable. Slowing down gives you time to react and prevent a tragedy.”

The campaign is being run in conjunction with Go Bus, one of New Zealand’s largest school transport providers. Kim Forbes, Wairarapa Depot Manager for Go Bus, says their drivers witness dangerous behaviour far too often.

“Our drivers see it every week—vehicles speeding past while kids are getting on or off the bus,” says Forbes. “It’s terrifying. We’re asking drivers to think: would you want someone speeding past your child?”

The Wairarapa Road Safety Council and Go Bus are calling on all motorists—especially those who travel state highways and rural roads daily—to take the law seriously and drive with care around school buses.

Key Safety Reminder:

• When a school bus is stopped to pick up or drop off children, the speed limit is 20km/h in both directions.
• This applies on all roads—urban, rural, and state highways.
• When anyone disembarks a bus, wait for the bus to drive off past two power poles to ensure optimum visibility before checking to see if it is safe to cross the road.

“Every child deserves to get to and from school safely,” says Hullena. “It only takes a few seconds to slow down—but it could save a life.”

Saturday 12th of July 2025

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