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Haumarutanga rori - pakeke

Road safety - adults

The Travel Safe team work in the community to reduce accidents and improve road safety.

Young Driver Workshop

Free young driver workshops are aimed at road users aged between 16 and 24, who hold a current learner or restricted driver licence. Participants will leave with improved knowledge, confidence, and skills.

Each workshop includes:

  • A 60-minute one-on-one driving lesson with a certified instructor
  • Waka Kotahi NZTA roadworthy vehicle check (what to check to ensure your vehicle is safe and roadworthy)
  • Driver behaviour awareness (speed, impairment, restraints, distraction, and fatigue 
  • Awareness session on sharing the road with heavy vehicles

Parents/caregivers are strongly encouraged to attend but it’s not compulsory. The four-hour workshops are held during school term holidays, usually between 9am and 1pm.

Drive has everything you need to prepare for your learner, restricted and full licence tests.

Visit the Drive website

Young driver workshop

Car Restraints

Looking for support around car seat restraints? Contact one of our local car seat technicians at travelsafeschools@tauranga.govt.nzWe offer free car seat installations, checks, and will help answer any questions or concerns regarding your car restraint.

Carseat installation

Parking behaviour

Drop off and pick up are busy times that pose a safety risk at the school gate. Travel Safe help schools to communicate things like parking time limits, drop off and pick up zones, parking over the kerb and other safety risks at the school gate. We deliver an in-school parking and safety programme named Peaceful Parker, and partner with council parking officers to do school visits when requested by schools or the community.

Blindzone Workshops 

Blindzone workshops allow people to see the world from a truck driver’s point of view. Through a series of practical scenarios, participants will learn where to place themselves so they are visible to truck drivers and will leave with more awareness and confidence on the road. 

For more on Blindzone and cycling around heavy vehicles visit Share the Road.

Blindzone workshop

Be Bright, Be Safe, Be Seen

This winter visibility programme reminds cyclists, walkers, runners, and scooter riders to have lights, bright clothing, and reflective gear if they are out and about during early mornings, evenings, and at other times of low light and poor visibility. 

Whether commuting to work or school, being active for fun or fitness, or popping down to the local shops, people should take extra care and keep safe by being fully visible on roads and paths. 

All cyclists are encouraged to wear high-visibility clothing and ensure their front light, rear light and rear red reflector are all working correctly and are clean.

View the official New Zealand code for cycling for more information.
 

Related news

Chapel Street safety upgrade welcomed by local school

Chapel Street safety upgrade welcomed by local school

The principal at Pillans Point School says the risk of serious injury to her students has reduced following the safety feature upgrades to the Chapel Street/Maxwells Road crossing.

The construction work at the intersection of Chapel Street and Maxwells Road has been completed, and the new design allows pedestrians to cross to the median while traffic on one side is stopped before they can cross to the other side. 

The principal of Pillans Point School, Jacq Price, says that 20 to 30 schoolchildren regularly use the crossing each day, and the upgrades will reduce the risk of serious injury. 

"Requiring cars to come to a complete stop will allow students to cross safely and reduce the near misses that have occurred in the past.

"The increased safety will encourage more students to walk, bike and scooter to school, providing reassurance to their parents about their children's safety during the journey to school."

There has also been an increasing number of red-light runners, and ensuring children's safety when crossing busy roads is key. 

Tauranga City Council Senior Project Manager for Transportation Trevor Mills says the crossing, which spans three lanes of traffic, has been the site of numerous near misses in recent years and is used by many schoolchildren. 

"The upgrade has improved safety for all road users by enhancing visibility and reducing vehicle speeds at the crossing," says Trevor. 

Karen Hays, Manager of Safety and Sustainability, supports Trevor's comments and says it's reassuring that Chapel Street is now a safer place to cross. 

"It is still important for people crossing to check before stepping out, even when they get the green signal," says Karen. 

"Through our Travel Safe programme in schools, we teach students how to safely navigate crossing the road. Signalised crossings provide another level of safety for our community."

Trevor says a small section of the connecting pathway on Chapel Street was also widened for shared pedestrian and cyclist use as part of the works.

Pillians Point School students crossing Chapel Street safely
Rain, hail or shine, Pillans Point School students can now cross Chapel Street safely.
Image captionThanks to the new safety upgrades, children from Pillians Point School can now cross Chapel Street safely.
Posted: Sep 27, 2024,

Related information

Staying safe on scooters. Information about staying safe on your scooter.

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