1. STARTING SCHOOL SAFELY
Starting school means lots of changes for you and your child.
It is crucial to talk about being a safe road user and plan how you’ll travel safely to and from school with your child.
Starting school probably means your child will see themselves as a “big kid”. They may even want to travel to school by themselves, with friends or siblings. However, your young child is still developing many of the skills they need to be safe in a road traffic environment.
© NSW Department of Education | Supporting Walk Safely to School Day

2. CHILDREN NEED A HAND IN THE TRAFFIC
Unpredictable in the traffic environment
Limited understanding of danger
Limited concentration span
Reflexes are not fully developed
Unable to judge speed and distance and make sense of it
Often think they can do it by themselves
Poor directional hearing
Easily distracted
Think about your child in the traffic environment, why do you think they need your help?
Your child is a vulnerable road user.
Your child may be able to tell you the rules and how to keep safe near in and around vehicles, but in reality, will not always be able to apply them.
Lets look at why:
Click to reveal bubbles
You are responsible for your child's safety. 
Talk with your child about safe behaviour on the footpath. It is not a safe place to play.
Discuss the dangers of vehicles that may be entering or exiting driveways.
Talk about the importance of holding your hand, you want to keep them safe.
You are their best teacher
They will copy what you do, so if you show them how to be a safe road user you are teaching them to be safe.
Their size makes it difficult for drivers to see them
Often focus on one thing at a time
Unable to make informed decisions

3. KEEP YOUR CHILD SAFE TRAVELLING IN THE CAR
Children aged from four years old but under seven years old must be secured in a forward facing approved child restraint or an approved booster seat. It is recommended children up to and including 12 years of age should always sit in the rear seat.
Check your child:
is always buckled up in the most suitable restraint for their height and weight
is always buckled up on even the shortest trip, whether awake or asleep
Background information about national child restraint laws
Children aged from four years old but under seven years old must be secured in a forward facing approved child restraint with an inbuilt harness or an approved booster seat
Children aged from four years old but under seven years old cannot travel in the front seat of a vehicle with two or more rows, unless all other back seats are occupied by children younger than seven years in an approved child restraint or booster seat
Children aged from seven years old but under 16 years old who are too small to be restrained by a seatbelt properly adjusted and fastened are strongly recommended to use an approved booster seat
Children in booster seats must be restrained by a suitable lap and sash type approved seatbelt that is properly adjusted and fastened, or by a suitable approved child safety harness that is properly adjusted and fastened.
If your child is too small for the child restraint specified for their age, they should be kept in their current child restraint until it is safe for them to move to the next level.
If your child is too large for the child restraint specified for their age, they may move to the next level of child restraint.
It is recommended that children up to and including 12 years of age should always sit in the rear seat, even though children 7+ years can legally occupy the front seat of a vehicle.
The Child Car Seats website has a detailed FAQs section.
Follow the manufacturer's instructions carefully when fitting child car seats. If you are unable to locate the fitting instructions, contact the manufacturer or search for the instructions online.
To ensure correct and safe installation of your child car seat, have it checked by an Authorised Restraint Fitter.
© NSW Department of Education |

4. KEEP YOUR CHILD SAFE WHEN RIDING
Always ride in a safe place away from the road, vehicles and driveways Always wear a helmet when you ride.
Always check your child’s helmet is properly fitted and buckled up and meets with standards approved sticker.
Riding
Talk about your school guidelines for students riding to and from school. The Roads and Maritime Services website has more information on safe cycling across NSW.
Until they are at least 10 years old, your child should ride off-road away from vehicles and driveways.
While your child may learn skills such as balancing, pedalling and steering quite easily, they are still learning skills that help them to judge speed, distance and the direction of sound.
Your young child will often ride with their head down, concentrating on pedalling, not the environment around them. Your child needs ongoing adult help in safe, off-road locations to gradually develop all their skills.
Your older child may want to ride to and from school. Consider whether the infrastructure in your area supports your child riding safely to school. 
The safest places to ride bikes, scooters and skateboards are within fenced areas. This helps your child from riding or falling onto the footpath or the road.
Children between 10 and 12 should ride away from busy roads.
Children under 12 and adult riders accompanying and supervising them may ride on the footpath, unless there are signs specifically prohibiting cycling.
When riding on the footpath, cyclists must keep to the left and give way to pedestrians. On shared paths, riders are encouraged to leave a metre of space, where possible. Your child also needs to take special care at driveways where vehicles may be driving in or out.
Plan your route using quieter streets, bicycle paths or shared paths, if possible. At intersections, your child and adult riders accompanying them, must dismount and wheel the bike and cross the road as a pedestrian.
Helmet wearing
It is the law that your child must wear a helmet when riding a bike in a public place.
It is important that the helmet is correctly fitted and complies with the Australian and New Zealand Standards. 
A helmet that is not correctly fitted and fastened does not provide enough protection in a crash.
Choosing and using a helmet
Always choose an approved helmet with a standards approved sticker.
Pick a helmet with a bright colour so it can easily be seen.
Choose the right size so it doesn’t cover your eyes or ears.
Look for a light weight helmet with adjustable straps and fitting system.
Avoid attaching anything to the helmet.
Never wear a damaged helmet.
The Centre for Road Safety website has detailed information on selecting and fitting helmets.
Research shows that helmets reduce head injuries by up to 74 per cent in crashes with motor vehicles. Wearing a helmet from the moment they start learning to ride will help your child to develop it as a habit and reduce the risk of head injuries.
Early helmet wearers will also be more likely to continue to wear helmets throughout their life.
© NSW Department of Education |

5. SCHOOL ZONES
The 40km/h school zone slows traffic around our school. Please keep our children safe and don’t speed in the school zone.
The 40km/h school zone slows traffic around our school and operates from 8am to 9.30am and from 2.30pm to 4pm on publicly notified school days. (change to reflect around your school) (which includes pupil free days)
Have you seen the school Dragon’s teeth on the roads around the school.
© NSW Department of Education |

6. Kiss and drop zone Kiss and drop zone
This is a STAND only, not PARK area and you may STAND for 2 MINUTES MAXIMUM.
- THE FIRST THREE CARS ONLY MAY DROP OFF/PICK UP -
In the morning this drop zone operates: 8:30 - 9:30am (having said that students are not meant to arrive at school until 8:45am so please keep that in mind).
In the afternoon this zone operates 3:05 - 3:15pm (PLEASE do not pull up to this zone before 3:05pm as the buses need the space clear, in order to safely pull their bus into the bus area kerb).
**NB. This area is NO PARKING at all times between 8:00am - 9:30am and 2:30pm - 4:00pm**
(modify times to suit school)
© NSW Department of Education | Document title

7. PARKING AROUND OUR SCHOOL
Always park legally Don’t use the school car park or driveway Avoid dangerous manoeuvres such as u-turns and three point turns
Insert a picture of school driveway
Parking signs are in place around our school to help manage the safe drop off and pick up of children.
Please support us by parking safely and legally.
The beginning and end of the school day are busy times for pedestrians and vehicles outside our school, even if you have to walk further to our school gate.
It is a good time to model safe road safety behaviour and physical activity for your child.
Always walk with them and meet them on the school side of the road after school. Calling out to them from across the road is dangerous – they may run to you without checking for traffic. 
Dangerous driving behaviour around schools puts children at risk.
Model safe and considerate behaviour for your child – they will learn from you.
© NSW Department of Education |

8. Fines and signs
© NSW Department of Education |

9. ALWAYS USE THE SAFETY DOOR
Use the safety door sticker to help remind you and your child to always use the Safety Door.
Ensure your child always gets in and out of the car through the Safety Door, rear kerb-side door.
Never allow your child to get in and out of the car on the traffic side. 
Your child should remain in the car until an adult opens the Safety Door.
Never leave your child in the car without adult supervision.
Ensure your child always gets in and out of the car through the Safety Door.
This is the rear kerb-side door of the car. Never allow your child to get in and out of the car on the traffic side. 
Your child should remain in the car until an adult opens the Safety Door. 
Help your child buckle up.
Make sure their seatbelt is not twisted.
It is a good habit to make sure all passengers are securely buckled into a child car seat, booster seat or seatbelt before you start the car.
Never leave a child of any age in a vehicle without adult supervision. A small child may rapidly suffer from dehydration, heat exhaustion and consequent organ failure. Children could play games with car controls that may lead to danger.
At school, your child will learn about road safety as part of Personal Development, Health and Physical Education. Help them learn the passenger safety messages by using and sharing them whenever you are out and about in the car.
© NSW Department of Education |

10. KEEP YOUR CHILD SAFE WHILST WALKING
Talk to you child about how to keep safe when out and about.
Until children are 10 years old, they should always hold an adult’s hand:
on the footpath
in the car park
when crossing the road.
Insert local image of student in school uniform holding hands
The route to and from school may be unfamiliar Plan a safe route together and practice walking it on weekends or school holidays. As you walk together, talk about all the things you are doing to keep you both safe.
It also recommended that up until at least 10 years old, children should be closely supervised, holding their hand when crossing the road.
If a hand isn’t available they should hold an arm, bag, clothes or the pram.
© NSW Department of Education | Document title

11. CROSSING ROADS WITH YOUR CHILD
Stop! one step back from the kerb Look! continuously look both ways Listen! for the sounds of approaching traffic Think! whether it’s safe to cross
Walk and talk with your child to help them learn to be a safe pedestrian.
Walking to and from school with your child helps ease traffic congestion, reduces your carbon footprint, promotes physical activity and provides a talking point about road safety. 
When you walk with your child, talk about safe behaviour. Always demonstrate correct pedestrian behaviour. The best way you can help your child to be a safe pedestrian is to:
give them lots of supervised practice with you or another trusted adult. 
talk with and teach your child about being alert in a road environment. 
always hold your child's hand.
explain why the place you’ve chosen is the safest place to cross the road.
point out dangers, such as vehicles coming out of driveways.
use pedestrian crossings and traffic lights correctly.
teach your child to keep turning their head in both directions to look and listen for traffic as they cross the road.
talk with them about everything they need to think about to keep safe when walking.
explain why they should look and listen before crossing a driveway, road or carpark. 
talk with your child and reinforce Stop! Look! Listen! Think! every time you cross the road together
STOP! one step back from the kerb.
LOOK! continuously look both ways.
LISTEN! for the sounds of approaching traffic.
THINK! whether it is safe to cross.
(We don’t use the look left, look right message anymore)
Walking together also helps you to observe if older children are ready to cross the road independently.
© NSW Department of Education | Document title

12. Always use pedestrian crossings around our school
At our school we have:
Xxx pedestrian crossing/s on xxx street/s
use local photos of crossings around your school
Always use these crossings, it’s the safest point to cross the road.
Talk to your child about how to use the crossings when out walking together.
Model the safe behaviours – your child learns from you.
Our school experiences heavy traffic congestion at school drop off and pick up times.
We ask that you follow the road rules, be mindful of everyone’s safety, not just your child’s and be a good role model for all.
If your school has a supervised crossing:
Always follow the directions of the school crossing supervisor. Crossing supervisors manage traffic to help our children use the crossings on the roads around our school.
More information using crossings can be found
© NSW Department of Education | Document title

13. THE BEGINNING AND END OF THE DAY
Always arrange to meet your child inside the school. Never call them across the road. Talk about what to do if you’re late or it’s raining.
Insert your own picture of school pedestrian gate/s
The beginning and end of the school day can be hectic Entering or leaving the school can be a source of great excitement or even stress! Your child may not be focused on their own safety. Arrange a safe place to meet inside the school grounds or on the school side of the road. Never call your child across the road.
Entry and exit points
If there are preferred entry and exit points use photos and explain why and when these are used. Provide information about entry and exit points with special conditions around their use eg a gate near a driveway may only be used to exit and go left, to keep driveway clear and free of pedestrian traffic during peak times.
Talk about the school rules for Kindergarten students and where they should be picked up
© NSW Department of Education |

14. HAVE A PLAN B What happens if you’re late or it’s raining?
Walking to and from school with your child helps ease traffic congestion, reduces your carbon footprint, promotes physical activity and provides a talking point about road safety. 
When you walk with your child, talk about safe behaviour. Always demonstrate correct pedestrian behaviour. The best way you can help your child to be a safe pedestrian is to:
give them lots of supervised practice with you or another trusted adult. 
talk with and teach your child about being alert in a road environment. 
always hold your child's hand.
explain why the place you’ve chosen is the safest place to cross the road.
point out dangers, such as vehicles coming out of driveways.
use pedestrian crossings and traffic lights correctly.
teach your child to keep turning their head in both directions to look and listen for traffic as they cross the road.
talk with them about everything they need to think about to keep safe when walking.
explain why they should look and listen before crossing a driveway, road or carpark. 
talk with your child and reinforce Stop! Look! Listen! Think! every time you cross the road together
STOP! one step back from the kerb.
LOOK! continuously look both ways.
LISTEN! for the sounds of approaching traffic.
THINK! whether it is safe to cross.
(We don’t use the look left, look right message anymore)
Walking together also helps you to observe if older children are ready to cross the road independently.
What’s your Plan B? If you’re running late to pick up your child, your child needs to know where to wait for you or meet you.
One suggestion is to let your child know to wait at the front office if you’re not there to pick them up when the bell goes. You can also call the office to let them know that you’ve been held up. Make sure your child knows not to leave the school grounds without you.
© NSW Department of Education |

15. BUS SAFETY
Always meet your child on the side of the bus stop when travelling home by bus.
Wait till the bus has gone and then find a safe place to cross.
Insert a picture of school bus stop or delete if not relevant
Our bus travellers wait XXXXXXX area and are supervised by a teacher and are taken to the us when it arrives.
We request children are always met at the bus stop when travelling home from school.
© NSW Department of Education |

16. Ready for big school
It’s time to set the scene for the coming year – plan and practise your child’s safe route to and from school together.
© NSW Department of Education |