Safe Travel
Road safety at Holy Family is important for everyone within our school and the local community. This brochure has been designed to give you an understanding of the traffic management plan that has been implemented by the school for the benefit of all.
Please let grandparents and other carers know this information if they are going to drop off or pick up your children from school.
Holy Family Traffic and Road Safety Map
All roads surrounding and adjoining Holy Family are signed and subject to School Zone Road Restrictions from 8 am to 9:30 am in the morning and 2:30 pm to 4 pm in the afternoon on all school days.
1. Car Drop Off and Pick-up
This zone is the only designated car drop-off and pick-up zone for our students. Students should be independent in being able to exit or enter a vehicle from one of the three designated drop-off or pick-up zones. Parents/carers should not exit their vehicles to assist their children in exiting or entering the vehicle. Parent parking (5) is available for parents to access to assist children entering or exiting school.
Morning Drop Off: Once students exit their vehicle, they are expected to walk directly into the school.
Afternoon Pick-up: Due to the large number of students departing school, the pick-up period generally runs from 3 pm to 3:15 pm.
When you reach the pickup zone, when possible, drive to Station 1 so that as many cars as possible can pull in behind you.
You don’t need to get out of the car, as supervising teachers will assist your children to get into the car if needed.
For their safety, children should only get into and out of the car directly onto the kerb. If this is not possible due to baby capsules or other child restraints, please consider how you might organise your children to ensure their safety.
If parents arrive at the pick-up and their child/ren are yet to arrive, parents are asked to exit the roundabout
and then return when their child/ren has arrived.
Ensure your child’s seat belt is securely fastened before pulling away from the kerb.
2. Bus Zone
The Bus Zone operates Monday to Friday from 8 am to 9:30 am in the morning and from 2:30 pm to 4 pm in the afternoons.
Ballina Shire Council enforces these rules and can issue penalties, so always use the zone correctly to avoid fines.
Parking outside these time periods is permitted.
3. Disabled Parking Zone
The disabled parking zone should only be accessed by vehicles displaying disabled parking permits.
Ballina Shire Council enforces these rules and can issue penalties, so always use the zone correctly to avoid fines.
Parking outside these time periods is permitted.
4. Front of School Roundabout
Staff and parent parking is available around the outside of this roundabout. However, the majority of the inside of the roundabout is a No Parking Zone.
Ballina Shire Council enforces these rules and can issue penalties, so always use the zone correctly to avoid fines.
Parents may park around the front roundabout to enter and exit the school with their children; however it should not be used as a drop-off or pick-up zone for their children.
5. Parent Parking
This zone is available solely for parent/carer access to Holy Family.
6. Staff Parking
This zone is available solely for staff access. Parents are requested not to access this zone.
7. Pedestrian Crossing and Refuge Island
Holy Family has two pedestrian crossings with refuge islands for crossing Isabella Drive to access Xavier Catholic College. The Refuge Island is in the middle of the road. The island allows pedestrians to cross the road in two stages if needed.
Approaches to pedestrian refuges are signposted. When you are approaching a pedestrian refuge, you should look out for children/pedestrians.
Additional Road Safety Reminders
School Zone
All roads surrounding and adjoining Holy Family are signed and subject to School Zone Road Restrictions from 8 am to 9:30 am in the morning and 2:30 pm to 4 pm in the afternoon on all school days.
Speed limits of 40km/h are enforced during these times.
PENALTIES: Fines for driving at speeds 10km/h above the 40km/h school zone limit exceed $360, and 4 licence demerit points apply.
Seat Belts
School-aged children should always travel in the rear of their vehicle. Each child must be firmly buckled into an appropriate seat belt or child restraint.
Tip: Try to make a rule that every child passenger must be securely buckled into a seat belt or child restraint before you start the car. Assist your young child in buckling up, and always check the buckle.
PENALTIES: Fines for driving with unrestrained passengers exceeds $300, and 3 licence demerit points apply.
Double Parking
Double parking at any time is illegal and is particularly dangerous around schools. It reduces visibility and blocks the road for other motorists. Children stepping onto the road to get into or out of a double-parked car are not visible to other motorists.
PENALTIES: The fine for double parking in a school zone is approximately $300, and 2 licence demerit points apply.
U-Turns
U-Turns are discouraged near the school. The amount of traffic in the vicinity of the school means that U-turn manoeuvres are unsafe and block traffic flow. Please do not undertake a U-turn anywhere within the school zone.
No Stopping Zones
You cannot stop on a length of road to which a No Stopping sign applies FOR ANY REASON.
An unbroken yellow line painted on the kerb side of the road also indicates a No Stopping zone. Sometimes there is a space close to a corner that might seem like a good spot to park. It’s NOT. Parking less than 10 metres from the corner is illegal, even if it is not signposted.
Parking on the corner blocks the vision of turning drivers and creates a hazard for all motorists, pedestrians and especially for the children trying to cross the road.
PENALTIES: The fine for disobeying a No Stopping sign in a school zone exceeds $300, and 2 licence demerit points apply.
Mobile Phones
Please do not use your mobile phone in the school zone, as research has proven that it is a dangerous distraction and compromises the safety of your children.
PENALTIES: The fine for driving when using a mobile phone when not permitted in a school zone exceeds $400, and 4 licence demerit points apply.