Parents share top driving gripes outside their child’s school

More than one in five (21 percent) said they had topped the speeding limit near their children’s school, while one in five said they had driven down restricted zones, and 23 percent had blocked pathways.

And almost a third (30 percent) of parent motorists admitted to parking outside the school gates.

Bryn Brooker, head of road safety at dash cam leaders Nextbase, which commissioned the research and quiz, said: “School drop-off and pick up should be a happy time for families – but instead it’s a time of worry, stress, and ultimately risk.

“With so many not knowing the rules of the road around their schools, it’s resulting in 80 percent of parents reporting arguments every school term.”

Mary Williams OBE, chief executive officer of road safety charity Brake, said: “The school run carries risks for children for so many reasons, including peak traffic times, drivers feeling rushed when they should be focussed on safety, unsafe parking, and traffic pollution.

“It can be even more risky in the darker winter months. This survey highlights many dangerous behaviours around the school run, from speeding to engine idling, risking children’s lives and lungs.

“It is vital to have effective road safety measures in our communities to protect children and families, and enable us to travel in healthy ways that benefit us all by walking and cycling.

“We need more segregated cycle paths, traffic free zones, and low speed limits across communities to end the carnage on roads.”

Just under one in three respondents (29 percent) will leave their engines running, emitting fumes while waiting for kids to emerge from school.

Another 22 percent have blocked driveways if it means they can get closer to the school gates.

And a further 34 percent would appreciate dash cams being used to settle disputes, according to the OnePoll figures.

In fact, a fifth (21 percent) have already used dash cam footage to clear up a disagreement about which motorist was in the wrong.

The top reason parents will have broken the rules of the Highway Code outside their children’s school was found to be simply wanting to get there quicker (54 percent).

However, 53 percent worry they won’t be able to find a place to park, and almost half (48 percent) admit they don’t always pay enough attention.

Despite accepting they sometimes commit their own driving offences, 55 percent wish more was done to enforce road safety outside their children’s schools.

Just over a third (37 percent) would like to see larger fines for careless driving, and 33 percent want teachers to do more to dissuade poor motoring habits.

Three in ten have seen parents being fined – or at least told off – for driving habits around their children’s school.

And a whopping two in five (39 percent) have personally witnessed a crash, or dangerous parking or driving in this busy area.

Bryn Brooker added: “For those who are the innocent party in a collision, a dash cam can be a real blessing, as the footage makes police and insurers’ lives so much easier.

“Having evidence to prove that you were not at fault has shown to be the most useful tool. It is also helping to make the roads safer, by helping others understand how to drive in high risk areas.”