What are the causes of road traffic accident?

There are three causes of road traffic accident

1. Human factors

Human factors in vehicle collisions include all factors related to drivers and other road uses that may contribute to a collision. Examples include driver behavior, visual and auditory acuity, decision-making ability, and reaction speed.

A 1985 report based on British and American crash data found driver error, intoxication and other human factors contribute wholly or partly to about 93% of crashes.

Drivers distracted by mobile devices had nearly four times greater risk of crashing their cars than those who were not. Dialing a phone is the most dangerous distraction, increasing a driver's chance of crashing by 12 times, followed by reading or writing, which increased the risk by 10 times.

2. Road design

A 1985 US study showed that about 34% of serious crashes had contributing factors related to the roadway or its environment. Most of these crashes also involved a human factor. The road or environmental factor was either noted as making a significant contribution to the circumstances of the crash, or did not allow room to recover. In these circumstances it is frequently the drive who is blamed rather than the road; those reporting the accident have a tendency to overlook the human factors involved, such as the subtleties of design and maintenance that a driver could fail to observe or inadequately compensate for

Research has shown that careful design and maintenance, with well-designed intersections, road surfaces, visibility and traffic control devices, can result in significant improvements in accident rates.

Individual roads also have widely differing performance in the event of an impact. In Europe there are now EuroRAP tests that indicate how "self-explaining" and forgiving a particular road and it s roadside would be in the event of a major incident.

In the UK, research has shown that investment in a safe road infrastructure program could yield a 1/3 reduction in road deaths, saving as much as £6 billion per year. A consortium of 13 major road safety stakeholders have formed the Campaign for Safe Road Design, which is calling on the UK Government to make safe road design a national transport priority. 

3. Vehicle design and maintenance

Seat belts

Research has shown that, across all collision types, it is less likely that seat belts were worn in collisions involving death or serous injury, rather than light injury; wearing a seat belt reduces the risk of death by about 45 percent.

Seat belt use is controversial, with notable critics such as Professor John Adams suggesting that their use may lead to a net increase in road casualties due to a phenomenon known as risk compensation. However, actual observation of driver behaviors before and after seat belt law dose not support the risk compensation hypothesis. Several important driving behaviors were observed on the road before and after the belt use law was enforced Newfoundland, and in Nova Scotia during the same period without a law. Belt use increased from 16 percent to 77 percent in Newfoundland and remained virtually unchanged in Nova Scotia. Four driver behaviors (speed, stopping at intersections when the control light was amber, turning left in front of oncoming traffic, and gaps in following distance) were measured at various sites before and after the law. Changes in these behaviors in Newfoundland were similar to those in Nova Scotia, except that drivers in Newfoundland drive slower on expressways after the law, contrary to the risk compensation theory.

Maintenance

A well-designed and well-maintained vehicle, with good brakes, tires and well-adjusted suspension will be more controllable in an emergency and thus be better equipped to avoid collisions. Some mandatory vehicle inspection schemes include tests for some aspects of road worthiness, such as the UK's MOT test or German TUV conformance inspection.

The design of vehicles has also evolved to improve protection after collision, both for vehicle occupants and for those outside of the vehicle. Much of this work was led by automotive industry competition and technological innovation, leading to measures such as Saab's safety cage and reinforced roof pillars of 1946, Ford's 1956 Lifeguard safety package, and Saab and Volvo's introduction of standard fit seat belts in 1959. Other initiative were accelerated as a reaction to consumer pressure, after publications such as Ralph Nader's 1965 book Unsafe at Any Speed accused motor manufacturers of indifference towards safety.

In the early 1970s British Leyland started an intensive program of vehicle safety research, producing a number of prototype experimental safety vehicles demonstrating various innovations for occupant and pedestrian protection such as air bags, anti-lock brakes, impact-absorbing side-panels, front and rear head restraints, run-flat tires, smooth and deformable front-ends, impact-absorbing bumpers, and retractable headlamps. Design has also been influenced by government legislation, such as the Euro NCAP impact test.

Common features designed to improve safety include thicker pillars, safety glass, interiors with no sharp edges, stronger bodies, other active or passive safety features, and smooth exteriors to reduce the consequences of an impact with pedestrians.

The UK Department for Transport publish road casualty statistics for each type of collision and vehicle through its Road Casualties Great Britain report. These statistics show a ten to one ratio of in-vehicle fatalities between types of car. In most cars, occupants have a 2-8% chance of death in a two car collision .

Read More

Traffic Collision

A traffic collision, also known as a motor vehicle collision among others, occurs when a vehicle collides with another vehicle, pedestrian, animal, road debris, or other stationary obstruction, such as a tree or utility pole. Traffic collisions may result in injury, death and property damage.

A number of factors contribute to the risk of collision, including vehicle design, speed of operation, road design, road environment, and driver skill, impairment due to alcohol or drugs, and behavior, notably speeding and street racing. Worldwide, motor vehicle collisions lead to death and disability as well as financial cots to both society and the individuals involved.

Road injures occurred in about 54 million people in 2013. This resulted in 1.4 million deaths in 2013, up from 1.1 million deaths in 1990. About 68,000 of these occurred in children less than five years old. Almost all high-income countries have decreasing death rates, while the majority of low-income countries have increasing death rates due to traffic collisions. Middle-income countries have the highest rate with 20 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, 80% of all road fatalities by only 52% of all vehicles. While the death rate in Africa is the highest (24.1 per 100,000 inhabitants), the lowest rate is to be found in Europe(10.3).

Terminology

Traffic collisions can be classified by general type. Types of collision include head-on, road departure, rear-end, side collisions, and rollovers.

Many different terms are commonly used to describe vehicle collisions. The World Health Organization use the term road traffic injury, while the U.S. Census Bureau uses the term motor vehicle accidents, and Transport Canada uses the term "motor vehicle traffic collision". Other common terms include auto accident, car accident, car crash, car smash, car wreck, motor vehicle collision, personal injury collision, road accident, road traffic accident, road traffic collision, road traffic incident, road traffic accident and later road traffic collision, as well as more unofficial terms including smash-up, pile-up, and fender bender.

Some organizations have begun to avoid the term "accident". Although auto collisions are rare in terms of the number of vehicles on the road and the distance they travel, addressing the contributing factors can reduce their likelihood. For example, proper signage can decrease driver error and thereby reduce crash frequency by a third or more. That is why these organizations prefer the term "collision" to "accident". In the UK the term "incident" is displacing "accident" in official and quasi-official use.

Historically in the United States, use of terms other than "accidents" had been criticized for holding back safety improvements, based on the idea that a culture of blame may discourage the involved parties from fully disclosing the facts, and thus frustrate attempts to address the real root causes.

Health effects

Psychological
Following some collisions long lasting psychological problems may occur. These issues may make those who have been in a crash afraid to drive again. In some cases, the psychological trauma may affect individual's ability to work and take on family responsibilities.

Physical
A number of physical injuries can commonly result from the blunt force trauma caused by an accident, ranging from bruising and contusions to catastrophic physical injury (e.g., paralysis) or death.

Read More

Training Your School Traffic Safety Team

Your police community officer is responsible for training school traffic safety team members and adult supervisors to ensure that patrols and wardens carry out their duties professionally and competently.

They also implement procedures specific to particular crossings to ensure that patrol members and crossing students stay safe. They could include establishing special reference points or 'marks', making changes to operating procedures owing to heavy traffic flows, or using third members as leaders.

1. Timing your training programme

Most school traffic safety teams are trained in term 4 so they're ready to start their duties in term 1 the following year. Refresher training is normally provided during the first few weeks of the first term to ensure patrol members are competent to carry out their duties.

However, some schools prefer to have their patrols trained during term 3 then starting their duties in term 4, continuing through to the end of the third term the following year. Your police school community officer will be able to advise on the best option for your school.

When you're ready to schedule training for your school traffic safety team, contact your school community officer. They'll work with you to choose a date that suits you, your supervisors and your students.

Before training starts, please photocopy the 'School patrol training sheet' on page 30. Your school community officer will use it as part of the training programme.

2. Training for school patrols and school wardens 

You'll need to set aside a day for this training-and all students and supervisors need to attend. Note: the training includes viewing a DVD, so you'll need to make sure you have the appropriated equipment.

The training day covers essential information such as:

• participants' roles and responsibilities
• correct procedures for operating the patrol
• the need for teamwork and reliability
• what to do if someone doesn't turn up or for some reason can't do the job on the day
• uniforms and how to wear and look after them
• other equipment they need to do the job.

participants will also get practical training, learning about things like reference points or marks that they can use to identify safe gaps in traffic and determine traffic speeds and volume. Supervisors will also learn how to record cases of unsafe and illegal behavior.

When the training is complete, include the new recruits in the roster for the rest of the year. It's a great opportunity to give them practical experience with your established patrol members.

2.1 Refreshing training

Early in the new school year, your school community officer will contact you to arrange refresher training at crossings and check that you've set up your rosters. They might also meet the supervisors to make sure they're aware of their roles and responsibilities.

This is also an ideal time to show newcomers to your school how your school patrol or warden operation works.

3. Training for bus wardens

While your school will normally ensure that students travelling on buses understand basic safety procedures, the school community officer can provide more specialist training, such as emergency procedures.

In preparation for your training day, make sure that:

• the bus operator can provide a bus for the day, the school community officer will check that it's roadworthy and that unloading sites are correct and signposted.
• a first-aider can attend such as a staff member or a St John or Red Cross representative.
• your school's bus controller will attend.

The training day covers topics such as:

• bus wardens' roles and responsibilities
• the need for trust, teamwork and reliability
• what to do if someone doesn't turn up or for some reason can't do the job on the day 
• emergency procedures
• describing and reporting student misbehaviour

Read More

Bus wardens

If students regularly travel to and from your school by bus, you might like to establish a team of bus wardens. These are senior students who work with the school's bus controller, bus drivers and the supervising teacher to monitor and super vise children's behaviour on and around the school bus, to ensure they make their journeys safely.

Your police school community officer can provide you with more information - and you'll need to discuss the idea with potential bus operators and the children's parents or caregivers. 

1. Setting up a bus warden team

If your school decides to set up a bus warden team, you need to:

• choose your bus wardens: responsible and reliable senior students who take their role seriously and will turn up on time 
• get signed permission from their parents or caregivers
• contact your school community officer to arrange training for the wardens
• choose a supervising teacher to whom the bus wardens will report
• establish your bus warden rosters according to the bus timetable and the students' personal commitments, such as after-school sports
• consider first aid training for bus wardens.

The number of wardens on each bus will depend on the bus's capacity. You might need just one warden for a small bus, and two for larger vehicles.

Note: bus wardens don't need to wear a uniform.

2. Bus warden duties

Bus wardens sit near the back of the bus so they have a clear view of all the children. If there are two wardens, the second warden sits close to the front door.

When on duty, bus wardens are responsible for ensuring that:

• children get on and off the bus in an orderly way
• all children stay seated while the bus is moving or, if there are not enough seats, stand well behind the driver or the appropriate marks on the bus floor
• the children stow all school bags and other items either under their seats or on their laps
• aisles are kept clear unless children have to stand
• they note any misbehavior and report it to the supervising teacher

Wardens on after-school buses also need to:

• work with the school bus controller to ensure that students assemble in the agreed area
• take a headcount to check whether any children are missing
• checking that the bus driver has been told of any passenger changes.

3. Emergency preparedness 

Bus wardens also need to be prepared to respond to an emergency on the bus. That means:

• knowing the locations of the emergency exits, fire extinguisher and first-aid kits
• calling for help if a cellphone is available
• understanding what to do in an emergency and, if one happens, helping the driver by:
• protecting the scene:sending older children 100-200 metres from the bus to warn approaching vehicles of the danger ahead
• taking uninjured children to a safe area and asking an older student to supervise them 
• establish whether anyone has been injured and whether emergency services aer needed
• sending two children to find a phone from which they can call emergency services and the school 
• administering first aid if they can.

Read More

School Wardens in Action

School wardens don't use any equipment to mange children waiting to cross a road. They simply raise one or both arms, barrier arms, to indicate to children that they should wait, and give clear instructions on when to cross.

Some schools also provide flags for small children to hold up while crossing the road. Talk with your school community officer if you're thinking about doing this.

1. School wardens at pedestrian and uncontrolled crossings

At a pedestrian or uncontrolled crossing, wardens:

• stand facing each other on opposite sides of the road
• use barrier arms to keep children well back from the kerb.

Where one warden is used:

• identify suitable gaps in the traffic, then lower their arms and call 'Cross now' to the waiting children
• raise their barrier arms and call 'Wait' to prevent latecomers running onto the road 
• encourage the children to walk quickly so they don't hold up the traffic.

Where two wardens are used:

• the leader calls 'Check'
• the second member calls 'Clear' after checking it is clear to the marks
• the leader calls 'Cross now'.

Note: wardens do not cross the road with pedestrians or stand on the road.

2. School wardens at traffic-light crossings

At a crossing controlled by traffic signals, the warden:

• presses the button, raises their barrier arm and waits for the 'green person' to show 
• checks for turning traffic if appropriate
• when it's safe, lowers their arm and calls 'Cross now'
• raise their barrier arm when the signal turns red or starts flashing and calls 'Wait' to any latecomers

Read More

Your school warden team

Usually, school wardens operate in teams of two, as this enables them to keep a good eye on the road and the children. However, they can operate alone if there's good visibility and little traffic on the road.

If you're concerned about visibility problems-perhaps because the crossing is near a corner-discuss the options with your school community officer or road controlling authority. It may be better to move the crossing or establish a school patrol or, in exceptional circumstances, have a third warden join the team.

1. The school warden leader

Each school warden team includes a leader. Your school community officer often confirm leaders during training, choosing only the most capable students for the role.

The leader:

• should have the best overall view of the road in both directions
• controls the operation

2. The warden supervisor

The warden supervisor is an adult, usually a teacher or parent, who is responsible for:

• checking that the wardens do their jobs correctly
• observing and formally recording details of any incidents involving unsafe or illegal driver behavior, such as driving through occupied pedestrian crossings or failing to give way to children crossing legally at traffic lights. If these lead to prosecutions, the supervisor may need to appear and give evidence in court.

Supervisors should always carry a notebook and pen to record details of unsafe or illegal driver behavior. 

3. School warden uniform

School wardens wear the same uniform as school patrol members: a summer safety jacket for dry weather, and a waterproof safety jacket for wet weather and in low-visibility conditions. Wardens can only wear one type of uniform or the other.

Please check that the wardens look after their uniforms and keep them clean. Store them in a convenient and secure place-and if they're damaged, lost or stolen, contact your school community officer for repairs or replacements.

Read More

School Wardens

Unlike school patrols, school wardens, sometimes called traffic wardens, don't step into the road, stop or control traffic. However, they provide a valuable safety check for school children-most commonly at unmarked crossing points, but also at pedestrian crossings where no school patrols are operating and at traffic-light crossings.

School wardens wear the same uniforms as school patrols, but use their arms, as 'barrier arms', to stop pedestrians crossing the road until it's clear of approaching traffic. School wardens don't use STOP signs. 

School wardens usually work in pairs, with one designated the leader, with a supervising adult.

All wardens and supervisors must be trained in their roles by your police school community officer.

1. Getting ready for your school warden operation

As a first step, your school board of trustees must advise the road controlling authority that you'd like to set up a school warden crossing.

Working together, your school, your school community officer and the road controlling authority will decide whether you need a school traffic safety team and, if so, where to locate your crossing points. This means taking into account:

• where pedestrians usually choose to cross
• the places likely to be most convenient for children and other pedestrians to ensure the children use it.
• the need for good visibility for both school wardens and approaching drivers. This might involve restricting parking close to the crossing point.

The next step is to choose up to 15 students. Just like school patrol members, they should:

• be willing and physically able to do the job
• be reliable and punctual
• be comfortable about, and confident in, making decisions
• have good judgement
• find it easy to concentrate 
• take their responsibilities seriously
• turn up for duty on time, every time

You also need to:

• get signed permission from the children's parents or caregivers
• contact your school community officer to arrange training for your school wardens and supervisors.

1.1 Developing rosters

When developing your rosters, try to give each warden a regular turn. Give them copies of their rosters to take home, so that their parents or caregivers can help to ensure they turn up on time. Supervisor should also have copies of these rosters.

1.2 Establishing warden start and finish time

The best start and finish times for your school wardens will depend on when children arrive and leave. Ideally, they should be on duty 30 minutes before school starts and at least five minutes before school finishes.

You need to have a system for ensuring a replacement person is available if a school warden unexpectedly fails to turn up on time.

Read More

Copying with Heavy Traffic, Visibility and Windy Conditions

If you're concerned about student safety on the road owing to heavy traffic or obstacles that are reducing patrol visibility, talk to you school community officer or road controlling authority. With safety their top priority, they'll work with you to develop a practical solution.

1. Heavy traffic

your school community officer will determine whether the following option is the safest operating procedure for your crossing.

Patrol members must be specifically trained in this method.

If traffic is too heavy to put both STOP signs out at the same time, one option is to stagger the patrol operation. In this approach:

• one patrol member identifies a gap in the traffic flowing in their direction, and extends the STOP sign on their side of the crossing.
• the traffic travelling in the opposite direction is then legally required to stop. Once it has slowed or stopped, the other patrol member extends their STOP sign.
• children start crossing when traffic on both sides of the road has stopped.

2. Visibility issues

If your patrol team could have problems seeing approaching traffic-perhaps because the crossing is near a corner-one option is to add a third person to the team. Your school community officer will determine whether this is necessary as part of your school's training programme.

Located where they have a good view of oncoming traffic, the third person becomes the leader and gives the commands to the other team members. However, there are potential dangers for the third person, so this option will only be used in special circumstances.

If these solutions are impractical or no longer working or your school, contact your road controlling authority or school community officer about alternative solutions. These could include relocating the crossing or installing systems such as traffic lights.

3. Windy conditions

If it's too windy to use the signs safely, school patrols should operate as school wardens instead. This means no signs or any other objects to stop traffic.

Without the signs they no longer have power to stop traffic. They can still raise their arms to stop pedestrians, but not to stop traffic, and tell them when it is safe to cross.

Patrol members must not go off patrol while students are still waiting to cross. 

Read More

Going on School Patrol

Patrol members need to arrive at school with enough time to put on their uniforms, take the STOP signs from the storage area and make their way to the patrol location by the time the patrol is due to start

I. Carrying the signs

STOP signs are safest when carried 'stretcher fashion', preferably with the discs at the front. Take extra car on windy days, when it might be a good idea to have the discs horizontal, facing the ground,to reduce wind resistance. 

If you're operating a kea crossing, the supervisor carries the two kea flags and must put them in place before the patrol starts

The patrol leader and supervisor should ensure that pedestrians are not allowed to cross the road while the patrol is being set up.

II. Setting up the patrol

When the patrol reaches the crossing:

1. The patrol member who's going to cross the road stands behind the person who won't be crossing.

2. The person staying behind attaches their sign to the post and both patrol members hold their signs parallel to the road.

What's a barrier arm?

A barrier arm is an arm raised sideways at right angles to the body to prevent children on the footpath trying to cross the road.

3. The leader checks the approaching traffic. When they can see that there's no approaching traffic between the crossing and an established 'mark' or reference point, they call 'Sign Out'. Both patrol members swing their signs into the roadway so the signs are parallel to each other.

4. The leader calls 'Check'. Both patrol members check that any approaching traffic is going to stop. On multi-lane highways, this includes checking that no-on, including cyclists, is trying to overtake a stationary vehicle. If in doubt, the patrol members wait until all vehicles have stopped.

5. The second patrol member calls 'Clear'- when both patrol members are sure that traffic will stop.

6. The leader calls 'On patrol' and holds out one arm as a barrier, called the barrier are, to stop any student crossing.

7. The other patrol member walks across the road, holding their sign, disc first, at right angles to the traffic so ti can be seen easily.

8. When the other patrol member reaches the footpath, or kerb extension, on the other side, they swing their sign so it's parallel to the road, out of the way of traffic. The leader calls 'Signs in' and swings their sign in. The other patrol member attaches their sign to the post.

III. Operating the patrol

Once the patrol has been set up, it needs to operate quickly, smoothly and efficiently to minimize traffic disruption and delays. It's important to make sure that children waiting to cross stand well back from the STOP sign or behind the pedestrian limit line, so that patrol members have a clear view of the road.

Patrols operate in five steps:

1. The patrol members check approaching traffic. When there's a suitable gap, the leader call 'Signs out'. In unison, the patrol members raise their barrier arms and swing their STOP signs into the roadway. 

2. The leader calls 'Check'. Both patrol members look to make sure any approaching vehicles are going to stop.

3. The second patrol member confirms that traffic is slowing or has stopped by calling 'Clear'. The leader call 'Crossing' and both patrol members lower their barrier arms.

4. As the last pedestrian enters the crossing, the patrol member raises their barrier arm to prevent latecomers trying to cross.

5. When the last pedestrian reaches the footpath or kerb extension, the leader calls 'Signs in' and both patrol members lower their barrier arms an swing in their signs. 

VI. Ending the patrol

Patrols follow six steps before going off duty:

1. When it's time to finish the school patrol, and as long as there are no pedestrians waiting to cross, the leader or adult supervisor lets the team know they're going off petrol.

2. The patrol member who's going to cross the road unhooks their STOP sign and rests the hook at the foot of the post. When there's a suitable break in the traffic, the leader calls 'Signs out' and both patrol members swing their signs into the road and raise their barrier arms.

3. The leaders call 'Check' and both patrol members check that any approaching vehicles are about to stop

4. The second member calls 'Clear'- when both patrol members are sure that traffic will stop.

5. When it's all clear, the leader calls 'Off patrol'. The returning patrol member crosses the road, holding their STOP sign at right angles to the traffic.

6. When they'er safely clear of the crossing, the remaining patrol member removes their sign and both signs are carried stretcher fashion to the equipment storage area. Note they should be carried parallel to the roadway, with particular care around other people and vehicles.

If you're operating a kea crossing, the supervisor removers both flags after the patrol members have come off the crossing.

Read More

Your school patrol equipment

School patrol equipment comprises:

• STOP signs, provided by your road controlling authority
• Removable flags for kea crossing, also provided by the road controlling authority 
• Uniform that clearly identify students as school traffic safety team members
• Notebooks and pencils for patrol supervisors, for recording details of unsafe or illegal driver behaviour

1. Signs and Flags

The main school patrol signs are: 

• STOP signs: large re discs with the words 'STOP SCHOOL PATROL' in white. They are attached to long poles with hinge brackets attached. Usually made of aluminium, the signs are bulky but not heavy and need to be handled with care, especially in windy conditions.

• Kea crossing flags: lightweight, collapsible diamond-shaped flags made of soft orange or red fluorescent material. These signs are placed in posts on the kea crossing kerb extensions so they're visible to approaching drivers. 

2. Patrol Uniforms

There are two uniforms: a summer safety jacket for dry weather, and a waterproof safety jacket for wet weather and in low-visibility conditions. The jackets clearly identify the wearers as school traffic safety team members.

Patrol members must always wear the correct uniform while on duty.

3. Caring for the equipment

Please ensure that patrol members and others treat all school patrol equipment with respect.

All equipment should be stored in a dedicated area that:

• is secure
• is dry and out direct sunlight
• has hooks for hanging up the uniforms and signs
• is easy to access

Read More

What's a kea crossing?

Kea Crossing

Kea crossings or school crossing points are used at places with low to moderate traffic levels, often where only school children cross. During non-patrol times, the roads revert to being uncontrolled, so pedestrians crossing them have to give way to vehicles.

A kea crossing is made up of:

• Kerb extensions at each roadside 
• Vehicle ' hole lines ' on the road at the crossing point
• Poles to hold the flags and signs.

Kea crossing provide children with a safe place to cross the road. They're installed around schools so school patrols can control traffic and safely guide children across the street.

A kea crossing only operates when a school patrol and two fluorescent orange crossing point flag signs, one on each side of the road, are present.

The school patrol will be operating before and after school and possibly at lunch time. When the school patrol displays their STOP signs, traffic must stop. This helps keep children safe when they're going to and from school.

When there's no school patrol and no crossing signs, the crossing point is just like any other section of road.

What features do kea crossing points have?

There are yellow or fluorescent yellow-green 'children' and 'school' combination warning signs 65 metres before the crossing on each approach. These warning signs are permanent, where the crossing is being used or not. They're the same as those used outside schools to warn there may be pedestrians crossing ahead.

When the kea crossing is operating, two types of removable signs are used. These signs include two fluorescent orange 'children' flag signs and the swing-out red school patrol STOP signs.

'look out for children' fluorescent orange flag sign

School patrol STOP sign

When the school patrol finishes operating, the fluorescent orange crossing point flag signs and red school patrol STOP signs are removed. The crossing site then becomes an ordinary section of road.

Kea crossing have a 'limit' line marked across each approach, to guide drivers stopping at the crossing.

Pedestrian 'hold lines' appear 75 centimetres behind the kerb at both ends of the crossing. The lines show pedestrians where they should stop and wait for the school patrol to guide them across the road.

The road at a kea crossing site is no more than 10 metres wide. Even when a patrol isn't operating, pedestrians may find the site a relatively safe and narrow place to cross the road. They must be careful-checking for approaching vehicles and waiting for a suitable break in traffic before crossing.

Read More

School Patrols

Safe School Zoon

School patrols help to keep students safe on the road by controlling the flow of vehicles and pedestrians at pedestrian crossings and 'kea' crossings, school crossing points.

Operating before and after school, patrol members extend STOP signs onto the road in both directions, which signal approaching drivers to stop. Once the traffic is slowing or has stopped, the patrol signals to waiting pedestrians that it's safe to cross the road.

Each duty patrol is typically made up of two students, with one designated the leader, and a supervising adult.

Before a school patrol can operate, all team members and supervisors need to have been trained by a police school community officer. 

What's a pedestrian crossing?

A pedestrian crossing is made up of

• White strips that run parallel to the road line
• Poles on each roadside marked with black and white stripes, topped with orange globes or discs
• Roadside warning signs on each approach to the crossing
• Optional diamonds on the roadway, on approaches to the crossing
• Vehicle ' hold line ' on the road at the crossing point 

Read More