Unsafe Roads for School Children

Following the death on the road of a precious school child, I sent the following to our new Associate Minister of Transport:

Tim Macindoe
tim.macindoe@parliament.govt.nz

Dear Mr Macindoe,

Firstly congratulations on your position of Associate Minister of Transport.

On Monday of this week, I sent out a media release asking for action from your department on 'getting school children home healthy and safe' as is suggested by 'Work Safe' for adults and doing so before a tragedy happens. On Tuesday a tragedy happened, leaving a family distraught, as their son never came home. This young vulnerable road user was killed, having been hit by a truck.

This tragedy will not only affect the family, but the truck driver, all those who saw the incident unfold, the emergency department and their community. What is more it affects me, as I feel that I failed the little boy and his family in not pursuing the safety of our most vulnerable road users with enough vigor to bring about change.

So I plead with you: take a look at your Safer Journeys and bring about change where, "Safe road systems consider the needs of all road users", as the World Health Organisation recommends. Start by introducing consistent speed limits of 30km/h at peak times outside schools and no more than 60km/h at other times, and a mandatory passing gap past cyclists of 1 metre for vehicles driven up to 60km/h and a 1.5 metre gap for those travelling at speeds higher than 60km/h.

Yours sincerely,

Lucinda Rees
Campaigner for safer roads for all

Lucinda Rees
NZ School Speeds
Swannanoa, Christchurch, New Zealand
Ph: 03-312 6828 or
021-073 2827
Email: nzschoolspeed@gmail.com
Twitter: @nzschoolspeeds

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