Slow Down as School Returns - Shoalhaven City Council - Media Release

 

2 February 2022

With students returning to school this week, please remember to take extra care in school zones and on our roads.

Here are some safety tips for travelling to and from school:

• Remember the school zone 40km/h speed limit and look out for any children that may be about.
• Park safely and legally, even if it means you must walk further to the school.
• Be aware of pedestrians on or near road crossings.
• Drop your children off and pick them up on the school side of the road in the designated school drop - off and pick- up area.

It’s safest for children to get out of the car through the Safety Door, away from passing traffic. This is the rear footpath side door of the car.

Watch for flashing lights on buses. This is to let you know that children may be crossing, or about to cross, the road. A 40 km/h limit applies when school bus lights flash.

Shoalhaven City Council urges people to be extra diligent on our roads as children return to school. The message is simple, please obey the speed limit and be on high alert. Unfortunately, children can sometimes be unpredictable around roads.

Whether you’re the driver, passenger or another road user, every decision you make on the road matters.

Speed Adviser is a driver’s safety app designed to reduce speeding and save lives. It lets you know what the speed limit is wherever you are.

This free smartphone app was created by the Centre for Road Safety and has been downloaded more than 50,000 times.

To find out more about Speed Adviser, visit: https://bit.ly/3r9e2TY

For more information on keeping our kids safe around schools, visit: bit.ly/38zIRaY

Slow Down, Kids Around these School Holidays - Shoalhaven City Council - Media Release

 

9 December 2020

Little Blue Dinosaur Foundation and Shoalhaven City Council will join forces again in 2020 to raise awareness to reduce child pedestrian injuries and fatalities across the City. 

Motorists will again notice the “Holiday Time; Slow Down, Kids Around” signage erected around the City at beaches, parks and other busy recreational locations, urging people to slow down and take extra care on our roads during the holiday period.  

Shoalhaven City Council Mayor, Amanda Findley said school holiday periods created a surge in the number of children using local roads and paths. 

“Holiday Time; Slow Down, Kids Around is a highly visible and timely reminder about the importance of road safety, for both residents and visitors to be more aware of the increase in pedestrian activity in our area.

“With more kids around it’s really important for all motorists to stay aware and vigilant on the road. Kids can react impulsively and forget about road safety.  

“That is why the Holiday Time campaign is so important. It puts the onus on drivers, parents and carers to recognise the potential danger in busy holiday spots and take extra precautions to ensure our kids are kept safe”, Mayor Findley said.

Michelle and David McLaughlin, who founded Little Blue Dinosaur in honour of their son Tom, now channel their energy into making school holidays safer for children. 

“Tragically, BITRE data reveals that since January 2014 till August 2020, 391 children, including Tom McLaughlin, have lost their lives to road trauma.  Further, The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare indicates that the most common cause of death of children aged 1-14 years is road trauma.” Michelle stated. 

“Holiday destinations will be even busier this year due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. For children and their families, these new environments are most often new and unfamiliar with key visual roadway differences, including lack of kerbs/guttering, no line markings or footpaths,” Michelle said. 

"We lost our precious son, Tom in the blink of an eye. We don’t want this to happen to anyone else. The cost is just too high. That’s why the 'Holiday Time, Slow Down Kids Around' message is so important," Michelle said.  

Michelle said Little Blue Dinosaur was excited to be working with Shoalhaven City Council again in 2020. The campaign is now supported by 65 councils across four States in Australia. 

Little Blue Dinosaur is also pleased to announce that Michelle has written a beautiful book around Child Pedestrian Road Safety called ‘Tom’s Holiday’. The colourful book has been especially written and designed for both children, parents and their carers to provide detailed lifesaving road safety tips and education particularly around busy holiday periods.

The Vincentia Ratepayers and Residents (VRAR- CCB) have kindly donated five copies of Tom’s Holiday book to local Vincentia childcare centres and the Shoalhaven Library.

For more information about the Hold My Hand Campaign or “Tom’s Holiday,” please visit the Little Blue Dinosaur Foundation. 

 

For further information: 
Jeff Kaplan - Media and Communications - Little Blue Dinosaur Foundation 

amanda@littlebluedinosaur.org

Image: From left to right are: Back row (standing): Thomas Pryor, Tahlia Buckley and Brody Rawlins. Front Row: Will Buckley, Jake Rawlins, Taj Buckley.