Safe Around Schools
Road Safety Newsletter
Schools and Council use different types of signs around school areas to help keep everyone safe, informed, and able to move around easily.
Safety: Signs help protect students, families, school staff, visitors, and local residents. They remind people to follow safe behaviours and provide important road and pedestrian safety information.
Navigation: Clear signs help drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians find their way around the school area safely, especially during busy drop-off and pick-up times.
Communication: Signs are an easy and effective way to share important information with families and the wider community.
Compliance: School signs help meet legal requirements and support a safer, more organised environment for everyone using the roads and pathways.
Providing the right signs is an important part of creating a safe, welcoming, and well-managed school environment.
Good signage helps support the wellbeing of students, families, staff, and the wider community.
40 km/h Speed Limit Signs
40 km/h speed limit signs show the highest speed drivers can travel. These signs are often used in areas where there are many people walking, such as near schools, in residential streets, and around work sites.
School Zone
The speed limit in school zones is 40 km/h on school days generally between:
8:00 am and 9:30 am 2:30 pm and 4:00 pm
Drivers must slow down during these times to help keep children and other road users safe.
Pedestrian Crossings (Zebra Crossings)
Pedestrian crossings (Zebra Crossing) are marked with wide white stripes across the road. They may also have yellow flashing lights or signs showing people walking.
Drivers and bike riders must stop and give way to anyone who is on the crossing or waiting to cross. These crossings help people cross the road safely.
Pedestrians need to practise Stop, Look, Listen and Think before stepping out onto a pedestrian crossing.
School Crossings
A school crossing in Australia is a designated pedestrian crossing on a road near a school precinct and are designed to help children and adults cross safely during peak arrival and departure times.
They are marked by red and white posts holding orange flags, parallel lines on the road, staffed by a trained School Crossing Supervisor (often called a "lollypop person") wearing high-visibility uniform and holding a hand-held stop sign.
Operation Times: They are generally active on weekdays during school terms, typically from 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM and 2:30 PM to 4:00 PM
A school crossing is legally operational only when the orange flags are displayed.
Drivers must stop before the white line and never block the school crossing.
No U-turn
A "no U-turn" sign or rule means you are legally prohibited from swinging your vehicle around in a 180-degree motion to travel back in the opposite direction.
Performing U-Turns around a school precinct is really dangerous for pedestrians and also other drivers.
If you need to turn around, drive further up the road, away from the school to find a safe place, like a roundabout.
No Stopping
The no stopping sign means you cannot stop your vehicle for any purpose, no matter how short the time.
No Parking
This no parking sign means that the area is a Drop off Pick up Zone. You cannot leave your vehicle unattended, and you cannot stop for more than 2 minutes.
When coming into the zone, move to the top of the zone at all times. The times may be a little different at your school, but the rules are the same.
Fines can apply if the signs are not followed.
