Keeping kids safe on roads key focus of special week

Road Safety Week begins today, with the focus on safety issues faced by children. Photo / File

More than 30 Hawke's Bay schools, childcare centres and other organisations have signed up to hold "giant walks" and other events as part of UN Global Road Safety Week, beginning today.

The region's police are also set to join the events, which aim to highlight the road safety issues faced by children.

Road safety charity Brake is co-ordinating Road Safety Week in New Zealand, working with Safekids Aotearoa, the NZ Transport Agency, police and sponsor QBE Insurance.

The week will be officially launched by "giant walks" organised by Brake and children at schools and kindergartens across New Zealand, with young people holding banners reminding drivers to look out for kids and slow down.

One such walk is planned by Lumsden Kindergarten in Hastings today, to highlight road safety concerns on busy Lumsden Rd. Children, parents and staff from the centre will walk around their local block in Akina to highlight problems with pedestrians not using the nearby zebra crossing and drivers not parking safely around the kindergarten.

Other Hawke's Bay education providers registered to hold Road Safety Week events include Edukids Queen St childcare centre in Hastings which is holding a bike day, St Joseph's School which has a bike-a-athon, Te Kura Kaupapa Mori o Ngti Kahungunu ki Heretaunga which hopes to set up a bike check and road safety programme, and Westshore Primary School which is organising a safe walking programme.

Police were planning to attend today's Lumsden Kindergarten walk and across the eastern police district, staff will be involved in operations focusing on reducing speeds around schools and school buses.

"Tragically, since 2007, more than 1100 school-age children have been killed or injured [across New Zealand] after being struck by vehicles outside schools, and this is something we want to prevent," assistant commissioner of road policing Dave Cliff said.

"That's why Police this week will be paying particular attention to vehicle speeds and driver behaviour around schools, including the correct use of child restraints. We'll also be breath-testing anyone stopped for any reason," he said.

"We also remind drivers that a permanent 4km/h reduced speed threshold remains in place around all school zones, and Police will be strictly enforcing the limit within 250m of school boundaries."

Tukituki MP Craig Foss, who is also Associate Transport Minister, said this Road Safety Week was a reminder to all to slow down and take extra care around schools, parks and playgrounds.

"Very young children are especially vulnerable on our roads, especially when walking or cycling. In the car, appropriate child restraints are a must," Mr Foss said.