Police are urging families to prioritise the safety of tamariki who are heading back to school in the coming days.

The start of the school year is often an exciting moment for families, and road safety should be front of mind alongside your back-to-school checklist.

Inspector Peter McKennie of the National Road Policing Centre said road safety around schools is something to take note of all year round and especially at the beginning of the year.

“We continue to remind parents of the crucial role they play in teaching children about the potential dangers they face when going to and from school.

“Show your kids the safest way to get to school and back home – including the safest places to cross - and practice it with them, so when it comes time to doing it alone, they are confident.

“Teach them to use the marked pedestrian crossings and to look both ways before they cross, and arrange pick-up spots to meet.”

Peter reminded drivers to remain attentive on the road, as children could be unpredictable and appear out of nowhere.

This applied both in rural and urban areas, as differing environments still presented similar safety concerns.

Drivers needed to remember there would be children on the roads cycling to and from school and give them space.

The speed limit is 20km/h when driving past a stationary school bus, and drivers must reduce speed to below 30km/h when passing schools.

Along with road safety, police urged parents to be diligent with privacy settings before posting photos and videos online.

Although it was rare for police to receive reports about children being located through information shared online in photos or videos, they knew from international counterparts that it did happen.

Tips to protect your children’s privacy on social media:

• Check there are no identifying features such as school uniforms and logos, school buildings or signs, and street signs. This applies if you are taking photos at home as well. If this is unavoidable, parents can edit and blur school logos and signs.

• Research and understand app settings, including privacy settings.

• Turning off location settings or set profiles to private/friends only.

• Keep your child’s personal information private including their full name and age and what year they’re starting.

• Report any inappropriate or suspicious behaviour online.

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