Safe Around Schools

Road safety around our schools – What Casey families need to know?

This month reflects on driving around schools safely and the simple things you can do as a driver to help safety around your school.

According to the Transport Accident Commission (TAC), around seven children aged 0 to 15 die each year on Victorian roads. Children are at risk around roads because they are less visible, have a reduced ability to judge time, speed and distance, and often act without thinking. Children are unpredictable and need to be supervised at all times.

Quite often we see some drivers not driving and parking safely around schools and taking risks in the busy school traffic. If we make an effort to obey speed limits and signs, demonstrate caution and patience around school precincts, then as drivers we role-model good road safety behaviours to our children who are watching us.

The School Zone sign below tells drivers to slow down and be aware during peak school times there are lots of children and families around.

Many drivers forget school is back and the 40km sign applies.

There are school speed zones in place at most schools in Victoria. These zones exist to improve safety by reducing the chance and severity of potential collisions.

Some school speed zones are permanent and in effect 24/7, while other school speed zones are only operational during certain hours and days.

Time-based school speed zones are usually in effect between 8am to 9.30am and 2.30pm to 4pm on school days during school terms.

Fines do apply and Casey Highway Patrol monitor these areas closely.

Pedestrians at a school crossing must:

Stand behind the yellow line while waiting to cross
Wait for the Supervisor to blow their whistle 2 times, this tells you it is safe to cross now
Walk between the lines as you cross the road together in front of the supervisor
Anyone can use a School Crossing – you don’t have to be a school student

School Crossing vs Zebra Crossing

Rules are different for a driver at a School Crossing compared to a Zebra Crossing.

We often see drivers go through a school crossing when they should stop and wait until all pedestrians which includes the school crossing supervisor are clear and off the road. At a Zebra Crossing, drivers can continue once the pedestrian is off the road.

Pedestrians at a Zebra crossing must:

Stand behind the line while waiting to cross
Wait for the vehicles to stop
Walk between the lines as you cross the road together
Always make sure cars have stopped on both sides before you step out onto the road.
Remember to Stop, Look, Listen and Think before crossing

Drivers must approach a School Crossing at a speed slow enough to stop safely.

You MUST stop at the solid white line as shown and never block the crossing.

Blocking the crossing is dangerous and illegal.

As a driver, always look out for pedestrians crossing at the traffic lights. Alot of secondary school students utilise traffic lights to cross the road safely.

No Parking signs mean that the area is a Drop off Pick up zone.

You cannot park and leave your vehicle unattended and cannot stop for more than 2 minutes.

The times maybe different at your school, but the rules are the same. Fines do apply.

Safe Around Schools | City of Casey has fantastic animations that you can watch as a family about being safe around your school. Take a few minutes to watch these. These animations have subtitles and can be translated.

School Crossing: https://youtu.be/LbIrWbtVTyg

Drop off Pick up Zone: https://youtu.be/zh0g_EM5qe0

Driving Around Schools Safely https://youtu.be/PyACBb9x7_U

Active Travel: https://youtu.be/HILZVW68c3A

What's Coming up..... Register your school!

Walk Safely to School Day 2025

We highly encourage this information to be shared on your school communication platforms with families.

You can copy/paste the section you want to share, making sure to copy links so they can be clicked and followed by families.

Getting children to school safely is everyone's job.