When we send our kids off to get an education, we expect that their safety is a top priority – so having a school traffic management plan in place is a must.
The emotional rollercoaster of sending your children off to school doesn’t get any easier with age, but it’s all a part of the journey of being a parent. From their first day at kindergarten, to donning their first prep uniform and even when the day comes that they enter high school, parents ultimately trust their education facility of choice to keep their children safe while they’re in someone else’s care.
As such, the role of a school traffic management plan is crucial when it comes to protecting pedestrians in high traffic areas that mix kids, cars and even buses. Speed is often considered to be one of the biggest hazards in multi use areas such as car parks, but having an in depth school traffic management plan in place can help to mitigate these types of risks, and reduce the chance of a potential disaster.
A safe and effective school traffic management plan benefits the kids on their way to and from school, while parents have peace of mind knowing their families are safe at all times. However, traffic calming measures like this don’t just happen on their own, and a proactive approach is required when it comes to formulating a tailored school traffic management plan.
Sometimes referred to as TMP, a traffic management plan helps schools to identify and address common traffic management issues linked to these types of education facilities, such as safety concerns at ‘drop and go’ zones, illegal parking or stopping, and students, parents and carers crossing roads at inappropriate locations.
While a well thought out school traffic management plan will often cover extensive consultation with teachers, parents, kids and members of the wider community, as a general rule, the document should cover the following.
Environment Analysis – The size and location of the school will significantly influence the right types of traffic calming measures, in addition to the number of people who walk, ride, drive or catch the bus to school each day. Compile this data together to understand the unique school environment, and identify any potential problem areas.
Wayfinding Signage – Pedestrians need designated paths to follow, and cars need to know which areas to watch out for. Wayfinding should be universally accessible for both drivers and pedestrians, and that means installing easy-to-read signage for all age groups which include school zone speed limits, and designed with the correct Australian legal standards in mind.
Slow Traffic Down – Pick-up and drop-off zones, high-traffic areas, and roads with adjacent footpaths leading into a school should be integrated with speed humps to ensure speed limit compliance and general caution. Various types of speed hump products exist to encourage different driving styles, and are a crucial traffic calming device to slow drivers down.
Boost Driver Awareness – Rumble bars are a vehicle-friendly driver-alert system, suitable for use as lane dividers or delineators, merging lanes, median strips and crossing guides. As the name would suggest, rumble bars almost force drivers to pay attention to their surroundings thanks to the “rumbling” vibration through the tyres, and be aware of any upcoming hazards.
Install Safety Bollards – Separating pedestrians from cars is sometimes unavoidable, but installing infrastructure like safety bollards can help to create safer walkways for areas with high foot traffic that cars shouldn’t be anywhere near. In turn, this helps to reduce the chance of a collision between the pedestrians and a vehicle.
Ultimately, taking preliminary steps to use traffic calming as a means to boost road safety in and around schools is not just recommended – it’s essential. Schools have a responsibility to protect the children in their care, and having a well thought out school traffic management plan is one of the most effective means to do so. If you aren’t quite sure what this process involves, it’s always a good idea to speak to an expert on road safety.
At Speed Humps Australia, we’ve spent twenty years focusing on one thing: to provide one style of product, and to do it exceptionally well. We have worked tirelessly to develop specifications that do not fade or deteriorate, are easy to install, and are made from high-quality, recycled rubber for minimal environmental impact.
With just a handful of our clients around the nation including KFC, Taco Bell, McDonalds and numerous local governments and mining operations, our rumble bars, speed humps and wheel stops have been purposefully designed to truly go the distance.
As our design and production is all handled in house and supplied Australia wide, get in touch with us today to request a quote or discuss how we can help with providing a tailored solution to your unique project requirements.
For 10 years, our focus has been on one thing: to provide one style of product and to do it well.
Our wheel stops, speed humps and rumble bars meet Australian Standards, don’t fade, and we’ve never needed to replace one.
For 10 years, our focus has been on one thing: to provide one style of product and to do it well.
Our wheel stops, speed humps and rumble bars meet Australian Standards, don’t fade, and we’ve never needed to replace one.
