At high school, many students will have further to travel and will be making new friends and taking up new activities, which also involve more travel. The risk of injury on the road actually increases in the teenage years. About 40% are accidents involving passengers in vehicles. Students are still gaining experience as drivers and tend to be more at risk of accidents.
Please remember the following:
As a passenger
- Bus passengers must follow the Department of Transport Code of Conduct for Bus Travellers;
- At school, wait for buses behind the barriers and enter the bus in an orderly manner when instructed to do so by the teacher on duty;
- When you get off the bus, always wait until the bus has gone before crossing the road;
- Always wear seat belts when these are availabe in cars and buses;
- Before becoming a passenger in a car, think about your safety - consider the driver's experience and the other circumstances; and
- As a passenger try not to distract the driver.
As a pedestrian
- Walk on the footpath wherever possible - otherwise, walk so you are facing the oncoming traffic;
- Remember to stop, look, listen and think before crossing roads;
- Motor vehicles generally have right of way;
- Be defensive, drivers don't always see you and don't always stop; and
- Roundabouts can make it difficult to predict vehicle movements.
If you ride a bicycle, skateboard, roller blades or scooter
- Check that your bicycle is roadworthy and the correct size for you;
- Wear an approved safety helmet;
- Ride in a safe and reasonable manner;
- Choose a safe bicycle route to and from school;
- Skateboards and scooters by law are not allowed on roads with painted lane lines, centre lines or a median strip;
- Take care not to endanger pedestrians and be aware that these "toy vehicles" are banned from some footpaths; and
- At school, bicycles and other wheeled toys must be stored in the bike racks and locked.
Student drivers
- Students who are licensed to drive are free to drive to and from school. This is a matter for them, their parents and the owner of the vehicle.
- Students using private vehicles to drive themselves or other students to school activities such as sport and excursions at other venues are required to submit consent forms for both the drivers and any passengers.