With local children headed back to school this week, the City of Canterbury Bankstown is urging motorists to take extra care in and around school zones.

In a Council campaign to promote school zone safety, parents and carers are being reminded to follow the road rules and “don’t lose your licence”.

Earlwood father of three Alex Biasatto hasn’t missed his kids drop off or pick up for eight years and he always makes it a point to drive extra safely around school zones.

“I’ve seen people pulling out, double parking, kids running across the road, parking across driveways and opening their doors when cars are coming across,” Mr Biasatto said.

“That’s the lives of our children! We wouldn’t want anything to happen to our children, let alone someone else’s child.”

The safety campaign signage, which has been made available to all schools in Canterbury-Bankstown, highlights the penalties of common school zone offences including illegal U-turns, obstructing driveways, double parking and stopping in no-stopping zones.

Mr Biasatto, who is also a local SES volunteer, said he’s pleased to see the signs on display at his kids’ school – Our Lady of Lourdes at Earlwood, but the problem was widespread.

“It’s educating other drivers and reminding parents to keep everyone safe. Every little bit helps.”

As part of the safety campaign, parking compliance officers and local police will continue to conduct regular patrols of school zones and ensure everyone is abiding by the rules.

Canterbury-Bankstown Deputy Mayor Rachelle Harika said drivers must not be complacent and put children’s safety first.

“With more than 58,000 kids in our City returning to school after the holidays, it’s critical that we make sure they are dropped off and picked up safely,” Deputy Mayor Harika said.

“Some people need a wakeup call when returning from holidays and this campaign aims to do just that.”
The campaign messaging “don’t lose your licence” follows community feedback that many drivers are unaware of the loss of demerit points as a result of school zone offences.

Schools were given a choice of seven signs and could select four messages that highlight common problems they face. Obstructing driveways, illegal U-turns and stopping in a no stopping zone were the most popular choices.

This campaign is a partnership between City of Canterbury Bankstown and NSW Police Highway Patrol. To find out more about school zone safety, visit cb.city/RoadSafety