17 August 2016

Road patrollers recognised for road safety

Every school day students give up their time to help more than 30,000 children successfully travel to and from Wellington schools.

Wellington City Council and NZ Police have organised an Orange Day celebration on Friday 26 August to thank volunteer school patrollers who help keep the roads around their schools safe for their fellow students.

More than 1000 road patrollers from Wellington’s primary schools will march through the city at 10am in the annual Orange Day street parade. The patrollers will gather outside Parliament before parading along Lambton Quay and Willis Street to Civic Square.

Wellington City Council will host a celebration event at the Michael Fowler Centre and prizes will be awarded for the best road patrol of the year, best school presence, and the best banners in the parade.

Councillor Andy Foster, Chair of the City Council’s Transport and Urban Development Committee, says providing safe environments for active travel like walking and cycling are priorities for the Council.

“These volunteer school patrollers stand at their school crossings twice a day without fail, in rain, wind and shine, to help keep the roads around their schools safe for their peers.

“The students will be competing for a prize for the best presence in the parade, so expect lots of chanting and lots of orange as they go by.

“Our continued partnership with the Police in this initiative allows us to support the communities we work in.”

Wellington School Community Officer Constable Aaron Dann, who trains school patrols, says patrollers do a vitally important job for their schools and communities by improving safety during the busiest times on the roads.

"These kids with the help of teachers and parents are out there volunteering their time to help make Wellington’s roads safer for their mates, and this parade is about celebrating their commitment and thanking all of them for their efforts.

“It’s also a reminder to us to be extra safe when driving and parking near schools, and to follow the directions of the school road patrollers.”

Mayor Celia Wade-Brown says: “Wellington is one of the world’s most walkable cities. Active travel improves health, observation and readiness to learn. Thanks to our young patrollers!”

“We invite all Wellingtonians to be part of recognising the work these students do throughout the year, by coming down to Lambton Quay or Willis Street and cheering them along.”

The march will start at 10am, with traffic delays expected along this route until about 10.45am due to a rolling road closure for the event.

Following the parade the banners will be on display in the Council’s main foyer, accessible from Wakefield Street and Civic Square.

The Orange Day celebration is coordinated by Wellington City Council and NZ Police, and is supported by PAK'nSAVE Kilbirnie.

More information

Driving and parking near schools: http://bit.ly/1Idr01D

How to use a school patrol

School crossings, also known as kea crossings, provide a safe place for children to cross the road. They generally only operate immediately before and after school.

When school crossings are operating, an orange flag will be displayed, along with a School Patrol Stop sign, which children swing out into the road when there is a suitable break in traffic.

The school road patrollers are taught to keep the signs in until traffic is at a safe distance from the crossing. A safe distance is one designated by the School Community Police Officers who train the children.

What children would like adults to know about school crossings

• When the School Patrol Stop signs are out, vehicles coming from both directions must stop and not move until all signs have been pulled in.

• Children on patrol often get very frustrated by grown-ups who ignore their commands and walk across the crossing before they’ve put the signs out. If you do use a school patrol, follow the commands of the patrollers and be a good role model, even if it takes a few moments longer.

• When driving, expect that children may act erratically. Children are not little adults, so don't expect them to act as adults do.

• Even if there are children waiting, drive on if the children on patrol are holding the signs in by the footpath.

Keep a lookout for children at all times. Take special care when driving during 8–9am and 3–4pm, when children are travelling to and from school.

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