‘Stop means STOP’ when a school crossing patrol officer asks a driver to bring their vehicle to a halt.
That’s the latest vital road safety message from Lancashire County Council’s road safety team, who ran a day of action at sites across the county on Monday 23 February.
Officers from the council’s road safety and civil enforcement teams attended alongside Lancashire Police to engage with parents and guardians and passing motorists about road safety, parking and speed.
They were reminded of the law regarding drivers stopping for School Crossing Patrols and were given advice on being a safe and considerate driver, including keeping to safe speeds and responsible parking.
Leaflets sharing the ‘Stop means STOP’ message, containing vital road safety messages, were handed out, while large display signs shared safety information. As well as this, parents across the county were sent ‘Stop means STOP’ leaflets electronically from all primary schools in Lancashire.
Cllr Warren Goldsworthy attended the day of action near Deepdale Community Primary School in Preston alongside road safety manager Tony Crook.
He spoke to School Crossing Patrol officers Janet Robinson, Lorraine Heaton and Brian Cooney about some of the behaviour that they would like to see drivers improve on, as well as talking to police officer Rumandeep Takhar, who advised parents and drivers to be more considerate.
Cllr Warren Goldsworthy said: “The vast majority of drivers are law-abiding, courteous and stop as instructed. However, there is a small minority of drivers who do not respect School Crossing Patrols, putting them and vulnerable road users at risk.
“Drivers have a legal duty to obey signals given by Schools Crossing Patrols and we can’t stress enough that ‘Stop means STOP’ – there are no excuses.
“Failure to stop for a school crossing patrol can result in a fine of up to £1,000 and three penalty points on a driving licence. There may be further consequences for the driver if anyone is injured.
“School Crossing Patrols are an integral part of our community, much-loved and well respected. Some have even helped multiple generations of the same families to stay safe on the road. They really are road safety community heroes.
“It is vital that parents also respect parking restrictions such as zig-zag lines, which are there to ensure the safety of all children.”
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