Pay attention to road signs: that’s the message from Brimbank police ahead of school returning this week.
With increased traffic, changed traffic conditions and reduced speed limits around school times, police will be out in force to keep road users and school kids safe.
Brimbank Highway Patrol acting Sergeant Matthew Moohan said they always found this time of year a bit busier, with people returning to the road after holidays and dropping kids off at school.
“There’s a lot of new first time students and parents dropping kids off at school,” he said.
“There is more danger around schools with parents looking for parking and parents running late.”
Acting Sergeant Moohan said police looked to have more of a presence around schools at the start of each term, while there was plenty of media reminding people to slow down and be careful around schools.
He said parents quickly forget about the differences around school times.
“The message of the day is to pay attention to the signs,” he said.
“It’s always the standard warning. In Brimbank, most schools have illuminated lights outside them warning about speed changes.
“Drivers need to slow down, pay attention and watch out for kids, who are smaller.
“They dart out between cars and they don’t have a lot of sense of roads and road safety.“
School speed zones will resume from January 28 and run between 8-9.30am and 2.30-4pm.
In most cases, the speed limit during school speed zone times is 40km/h when the original speed limit is less than 80km/h, or 60km/h when the original speed limit is 80km/h or higher.
