Back to school speed limit campaign

Date:

Jan 24, 2014

School buses will be back on the roads shortly as term begins, and Queenstown Lakes District Council is teaming up with police and bus companies to remind all drivers that they must slow to 20km/hr when passing a stationary school bus.

QLDC School Travel Plan Coordinator Kirsty Barr said that in the days leading up to the start of the school, many drivers in the Wanaka area would have found “dummy school buses” parked on roadsides as a reminder to slow down and use extreme caution when passing school buses.

Police were in the vicinity to monitor driving behaviour. They flagged down vehicles travelling faster than 20km past any bus displaying the “SCHOOL” sign and had a friendly discussion with the driver about the importance of sticking to the speed limit, in the interests of saving young lives.

In the Queenstown area, electronic signs will be used to raise awareness of school buses, and once school starts, police will also be closely monitoring driver behaviour.

Total Span, which has built most of the school bus shelters around the District, is progressively installing 20k reminder signs on the side of shelters.

By: QLDC