Child safety group pushes for safer driveways

Driveways longer than 12m or those shared with other homes, double the risk of a child being run over. Photo / Thinkstock

Adding speed bumps and mirrors to long driveways are among measures a child safety group has included in submissions to the Auckland Council's Unitary Plan.

The plan will determine what can be built and where, and is aimed at creating a "higher quality and more compact Auckland".

It is expected to be formalised by September next year.

Among submissions the council will hear on Wednesday is one from Safekids Aotearoa, which is calling for an overhaul of planning consents for driveways, aimed at saving kids' lives.

Safekids Aotearoa director Ann Weaver said a child was seriously injured in a driveway every two weeks, and on average five children died every year.

"That's remained static over the past 10 years, which is very concerning," Weaver said.

The Unitary Plan was a chance to highlight driveway safety, she said.

Driveways longer than 12m or those shared with other homes, double the risk of a child being run over.

Safekids' submission calls for fencing driveways off from "play areas" like gardens or lawns, similar to safety fencing around pools, and avoiding long driveways where possible in new property developments.

Speed bumps and mirrors should be added to existing long or shared driveways, the submission said.

Safekids figures showed at least 16 Auckland children died in driveway accidents between 2009 and last year.

"Considering where children live, the Auckland region has the highest number of driveway incidents in the country," Weaver said.

Safekids' biggest success on the issue so far was a partnership with Housing New Zealand.

In November 2013 Housing New Zealand began a $30 million fencing and landscaping programme to improve driveway safety at nearly 13,000 state homes.

"They have invested a lot of money in building fences with child-resistant latches for families with kids under 5.

"What we'd like now is for private owners, landlords and developers to follow suit," she said.

Meanwhile, Hamilton City Council has included measures in its proposed District Plan to improve driveway safety.

Hamilton Council planning manager Luke O'Dwyer said that the plan encouraged residential developers to keep driveways and play areas separated.