Drivers’ Code of Practice
While we want to encourage people to walk, we recognise that some parents will have to use the car for at least part of their journey to school. We have developed this code of practice that we encourage all drivers to observe.
Our aims are to:
- Reduce congestion around school.
- Make the route to school safer for children.
- Be mindful of local residents.
With these in mind, we would ask you to remember the following:
- The yellow zig-zag lines before and after school are designed to allow a clear view up and down the road for children to cross safely, especially with the school crossing patrol. If you stop, even to drop off, on these lines, you are making it dangerous for children to cross by obscuring their view.
- Please park in a way that does not obscure the view of the school crossing patrol – avoid parking on the stretch of road opposite the zig-zags, especially if this means you have to park on the pavement to do so.
- Keep the view the around junctions clear so that children can cross safely.
- Parking on a bend can cause difficulties, making visibility difficult.
- Be considerate to local residents by avoiding parking across driveways or on the grass verges. Most people like the grass verges and don’t like to see them churned up.
- Try parking further away from school. This has several advantages – you will find it easier to find a space and you will probably find it easier to find a place to turn your car round for your return journey. It will also be an opportunity for you and your children to practise walking and for them to learn pedestrian road safety skills.
- Keep pavements safe for children – keep your car, whether moving or parked, off the pavement. Avoid using driveways to turn.
- Avoid using the junctions as turning circles – children crossing cannot tell the difference between a car that is turning to go up the road and one that is going to swing round for a turning circle.
Thanking you for helping to make the school journey safe, healthy and better for the environment.