Spearwood: school crossing warden urges drivers to slow down

A SPEARWOOD traffic warden is urging drivers to slow down, saying he has witnessed a number of close calls because of speeding motorists.

For the last five years Nick Skender has manned the Barrington Street crossing, helping Newton Primary School students cross the busy road into Munster.

He said more often than not drivers were ignoring the posted 50km/h speed limit, saying he believe many were going much faster.

“I’m on Barrington Street, this is not a school zone,” he said.

“The speed zone is 50km/h but so many people are doing 70km/h and 80km/h.

“Most cars driving there are speeding, very few are doing the speed limit.”

Mr Skender said he had witnessed a number of scary incidents, including cars driving through his flags while they were raised to allow kids to cross.

“A car almost hit me, I was in the middle of the street, on the island,” he said.

“In some cases people will actually drive through the flags.

“I’m often scared, I love my job but it’s a little bit frightening.

“It’s very dangerous for the kids, I just want people to slow down and to understand the speed limit.”

He said police had asked him to take down the number plates of offenders, but that he was afraid of being attacked if drivers caught him doing it.

A Road Safety Commission spokesperson said it was important for drivers to always be vigilant when they were close to schools, not just in a posted school zone.

“Many children walk or ride to school, and we remind all road users to be extra vigilant as children can be unpredictable around roads and vehicles,” she said.

“Drivers should adhere to the speed limit and be aware of children crossing the roads, not only in school zones but in the vicinity of schools during those school pick up and drop off times.”