National School Speed Limit

If a child suddenly crosses the road while you are travelling in an average car at 40km/h and you engage the brakes, you will still travel 33 meters before you come to a halt. A child has an 80% chance of survival at 40km/h, but at 50km/h or more, the impact would probably be fatal. Why then is there no national speed limit outside schools in New Zealand, with a maximum speed of 40km/h during school hours? You may think there is one, but my child goes to Swannanoa School, North Canterbury, where the speed limit is 100km/h (the stopping distance here would be 157 metres!) and there are many others in the same predicament, especially in rural areas. I am therefore campaigning to have a law passed to reduce the speed limit to 40km/h outside all schools in New Zealand during the school day.

In Swannanoa School, children often play alongside the school fence, which is just metres away from the road and many cars pass at speeds in excess of 100ks. In the past, some schoolchildren have been known to throw objects at cars as they are passing. Of course the children know that this is not allowed, but there will one day be that dare devil who launches an object, whilst others watch. If a vehicle was to be hit whilst travelling at 100km/h, (and you know the stopping distance), the driver may well panic and brake heavily, with a most disastrous outcome to those near the school fence. Then of course, there would be an outcry. I am hoping to get the speed limit of 40km/h in place, before this happens in Swannanoa or anywhere else in New Zealand.

You could liken the lack of speed limits outside schools, to some one going into a school and randomly firing a shotgun. Killing children with a shotgun is illegal, however killing a child whilst driving is obviously not. Perhaps showing that we care about our most vulnerable citizens, will educate people that we need to be more courteous to all that are vulnerable on the roads, like cyclists and pedestrians. Only with an introduction of a National School Zone Speed Limit and harsh penalties if the law is broken, will people realise that its not only those who drive within the safety of metal barrier, that have rights.

I have recently started a petition, which I hope is making its way through the length and breadth of New Zealand, so that everyone will have an opportunity to sign it. Hon Clayton Cosgrove, our local Waimakariri MP helped me set it up and is distributing it for me and I am trying to get it into all schools throughout New Zealand. People seem very keen to sign the petition, however, I am concerned that the signage rate is not high enough, because many won’t go out of their way to do this or may well not have heard about it. I am trialing the petition in our local libraries, but as yet, the response is not great, as the libraries are unable to put these on public display. Also there is no way that I, as an individual, can get the petition out to everyone in New Zealand. The Government is unlikely to listen, when the petitions are handed to the House of Representative in August, if there are minimal signatures. This is where I, and all those who have already signed the petition, would be delighted if you could help to get some awareness.

Should you want further information about this matter please email schoolspeed@clear.net.nz. Also you might like to have a look at NZ School Speeds on Facebook.

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