Parking Safely Around Schools

Parking Safely Around Our Schools

Derbyshire Police have circulated the attached notice.

Every weekday morning and afternoon, the streets around our schools become a hive of activity. Children, parents, cyclists, and drivers come together, creating a potentially dangerous environment. The areas around schools present a unique set of challenges: Young children can be easily distracted and could run into the road without looking. Heavy traffic and illegal parking can make visibility difficult for pedestrians and drivers. Despite initiatives like 20mph zones, speeding is still a significant concern for parents, with speed being a factor in a quarter of fatal crashes. Children and adults can be distracted by mobile phones, which can lead to accidents. Road traffic injuries are the biggest cause of death among young people worldwide, and six children are killed or seriously injured on roads every day in the UK. The Safer Neighbourhood Team and Safer South Derbyshire Partnership have recently had reports relating to dangerous parking issues at some schools in our district. We want parents to make sure they park safely, responsibly, and legally as we don't want to see anyone hurt. We would ask parents/guardians not to park on school zig zags, double yellow lines and across household driveways near schools. It is illegal to park on 'School Keep Clear' markings, or zig zag markings. Yellow lines on the road also show that parking restrictions are in place. 'School Keep Clear' markings outside schools are there for the safety of children and other pedestrians. They are there to keep the area completely clear of vehicles at school start and finish times. Motorists seen parking or stopping to drop off passengers in a school keep clear zone can be fined. Help us to keep the roads around schools safe when you're driving: Stick to the speed limits around schools and be prepared to slow down further during busy periods. A child hit by a car at 30mph is five times more likely to be fatally injured than at 20mph. Do not use your mobile phone or eat or adjust the radio while driving, as even a moment's lapse in concentration can be dangerous. Always stop when instructed to by a school crossing patrol person. Never park illegally on zig-zag markings or double yellow lines, which are designed to ensure clear visibility for children and other drivers around schools. Derbyshire Police will be monitoring school parking concerns, working with schools and civil enforcement officers who manage the enforcement of on street parking regulations like double/single yellow lines and enforceable school keep clear zones.

Further information around parking offences/enforcement can be found at: - https://www.southderbyshire.gov. uk/our-services/transport-and-roads/parking-enforcement. Creating safer school environments requires action from everyone. Local authorities, schools, parents, and drivers all have a vital role to play