Gardaí reinforce road safety as students return to school
As the schools open for the autumn term, gardaí in this area are reminding parents and pupils of the importance or road safety.
Speaking at Mullingar Garda Station, a neighbour to three schools in what is a particularly busy part of the town on school days at morning drop-off time and afternoon pick-up time, Gda Carmela Corbett, Mullingar Community Policing Unit, and Gda Lyndsay Martin, Meath and Westmeath Roads Policing, along with Joanne Jordan, principal of St Brigid’s Special School, reinforced the message.
Gda Corbett said: “The Community Policing Unit will be engaging with the schools for our schools programme, part of which covers road safety and personal safety.
“We just want to remind people about their parking, to be conscious of children coming and going to school, for children to be seen, to be very visible for motorists, and also to remember if they’re cycling, to have their helmets on.
“Bikes must have lights and bells as well on them – the most important thing is to be visible to motorists and to be seen.”
Gda Corbett also appealed to pedestrians and cyclists to make sure that they’re not being distracted by something like a mobile phone or = having headphones in.
“They need to be aware of their surroundings, and aware of traffic that’s in the vicinity with them, and to look after their own personal safety,” she said.
Gda Martin made the point that legislation regarding electric scooters, introduced earlier this year, will be strictly enforced.
The new rules stipulate that e-scooter users should be older than 16 years; obey a speed limit of 20kmh; ride on the left (using cycle or bus lanes where available); and have lights, bells, reflectors and brakes, and be in roadworthy condition.
She said “our main point is to be seen, and arrive safe”.
Ms Jordan wanted to remind parents at the start of the academic year “to get into a routine of leaving the house 10 minutes earlier, so they have time to approach school sensibly, and park in a proper place rather than pull up to the gate and dump and run”.
“Give the child the opportunity to be safe, and also think about other people’s children.
“Please just leave on time so everyone is safe. Safety is of paramount importance – be conscious of your own children crossing the road and getting in the gates, of other vehicles moving around, and just make sure that safety is part of the start of the child’s day in a nice, safe, quiet, calm way.”