Before and after school are busy times on our roads, with increased traffic and more children around. When driving or parking near schools, it’s essential to follow all the road rules, stay alert and take extra care.
Keeping children safe on their way to and from school is a shared responsibility. The headings above offer some tips and road rules to help you drive and park safely around schools. You can also refer to our brochure, Keep Kids Safe - Road Safety Around Schools(PDF, 846KB).
For more information on Australian Road Rules, please visit the My Licence SA website.
The City of Unley thanks all parents, guardians, teachers and students for their cooperation to ensure the safety of our school community.
School zone signs are installed on most roads near schools, often with zigzag white lines on the road to indicate you’re approaching a school zone.
Drivers must not exceed 25km/h at any time of the day or night when a child is present, including weekends and school holidays.
Always slow down and stay alert as you approach a school zone.
Tips for safer school drop-off’s: 
- Allow enough time to get your child to school.
- Say goodbye on the school side of the road.
- Don’t let your child cross the road alone.
- Park a few streets away and walk your child to school.
School crossings are the safest place to cross a road as drivers are more alert and aware of pedestrians.
Emu Crossing: 
- Located within a 25km/h school zone when children are present.
- Identified by red 'Children’s Crossing' flags on red and white striped poles.
- When the flag is displayed, drivers must give way to anyone entering or crossing the road.
Koala Crossing:
Identified by two yellow flashing lights on red and white striped poles. - Operates only when the yellow lights are flashing.
- A 25km/h speed limit applies when the lights are on.
- Drivers must stop and give way to anyone entering or crossing the road.
- School Monitors may be present and drivers must follow any Stop Signs or flags they display.
Using school drop off and pick up zones correctly helps traffic to flow smoothly and keep everyone safe.
Kiss and Drop Zones are short-term stopping areas provided for your convenience. They reduce congestion and allow children to safely move between the car and school using the footpath.
Remember:
You can stop for a maximum of two minutes during school peak times (as shown on the sign). - Children should enter and exit the vehicle from the kerbside door.
- The driver should remain in the vehicle.
- You cannot park or leave your car unattended.
For more information on how to use a Kiss and Drop Zone please watch the video below and read the City of Unley How-to-Safely-Use-a-School-Kiss-Drop-Zone(PDF, 605KB) brochure.
This video is shared with permission from the City of Casey and we thank them for allowing us to use this resource to help promote school safety in the City of Unley. The video can be translated using YouTube's auto-translate feature.
Please take extra care when parking near schools and always follow the signed parking rules.
They rules are in place to keep children safe.
Tips for safer parking at schools:
In a ‘No Parking’ zone you may stop (for up to 2 minutes) to pick up or drop off, but you must stay with your vehicle. - Never park or stop in a ‘No stopping’ zone or alongside a continuous yellow line.
- Never ‘double park’ or park across a driveway.
- Do not park within 20 metres before and 10 metres after a school or pedestrian crossing (unless signed otherwise).
A 40 km/h time-based school speed limit has been introduced across the state’s main roads to improve the safety of children when travelling to and from school.
The Department for Infrastructure and Transport has introduced a 40 km/h time-based school speed limit in South Australia on main roads near schools that currently have speed limits of 50 km/h or higher.
This change brings South Australia in line with other states across Australia where there is already a lower speed limit for school crossings on all arterial and high-volume roads.
When speed limits will apply
The new 40 km/h time-based school speed limit will apply on school days when children are travelling to and from school during these times:
- 8:00 am to 9:30 am, and;
- 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm.
This excludes weekends, public holidays and school holidays.
School days are defined by the Department for Education and can be found on their website: Term Dates for South Australian State Schools.
Existing ‘25 km/h when children present’ school zone speed limits on council’s local roads will not change. Road users must reduce their speed and always take caution near schools.
To learn more about the 40km/h time-based school speed limit, please view the following video:
Where speed limits apply
In the City of Unley, the 40km/h time-based school speed limits currently apply at:
Locations to be delivered include:
To view all of the locations across the state, please visit the Department for Infrastructure and Transport.
To experience a simulated drive-through of the 40km/h time-based school speed limit in operation, see the below concept animation for Goodwood Primary School and St Thomas School, Goodwood Road, Goodwood.
For more information and frequently asked questions, please visit the Department for Infrastructure and Transport.