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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

Winning helmets revealed in surprise school visits

Several Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty students received an unforgettable classroom visit when the Travel Safe team arrived unannounced to deliver their winning helmet designs in person.

The 2026 ‘Design Your Own Helmet’ competition attracted nearly 900 entries from 53 schools across the region, celebrating students’ creativity while reinforcing the vital role helmets play in preventing serious head injuries for people riding bikes and other modes.

The winning students were initially unsure why the Travel Safe team had appeared in their classrooms, until the surprise was revealed and they saw their own designs brought to life as real helmets.

Matua School Principal Marcus Norrish says the special presentation will inspire more budding artists next year.

“The kids absolutely love this competition and get really excited about taking part,” says Marcus. “Seeing the winning helmet revealed in class was an incredible surprise. Experiences like this really encourage other students to get involved, and I’m confident we’ll see even more entries next year.”

Matua-Ōtūmoetai Ward Councillor Glen Crowther says the annual competition is a great way to promote such a critical safety message.
 
“It’s fantastic to see students engaging so strongly with such an important road safety message,” says Glen. “Wearing a helmet is one of the simplest actions we can take to keep ourselves safe. Whether you’re riding to school, the park or a friend’s house, a helmet can seriously reduce the risk of life-changing injury or worse. It’s something everyone should be doing, every ride, every time.”

Travel Safe, who deliver road safety education across Tauranga and the Western Bay of Plenty, says the competition provides a fun and engaging way to keep helmet safety front of mind for students, families and schools across the region.

The initiative also serves as a timely reminder for families to check children’s helmets regularly, ensuring they are in good condition and fit correctly so they provide the best possible protection.

The Design Your Own Helmet competition will return in October this year. Keep an eye on Travel Safe’s Facebook page for details on how to enter.

2026 Design Your Own Helmet category winners:

  • Year 1 and 2 – Ethan Fourie, Ōtūmoetai Primary School
  • Year 3 and 4 – Laura Stevenson, Matua School
  • Year 5 and 6 – Charlie, Te Puna School
  • Year 7 and 8 – Anezka Andel, Ōtūmoetai Intermediate 
  • Year 9-13 – Gabriel, Bethlehem College
  • Teacher – Sarah Hetherington, Ōtūmoetai Intermediate
Image captionImageCaption
Posted: May 8, 2026,

Related information

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

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