Millions of parents admit to speeding outside their child’s school

New research has revealed that millions of parent drivers are putting the lives of their children and other children at risk after they have admitted to speeding outside schools and, in lots of cases, don’t even know what the speed limit is. The survey found that 27% of parent drivers didn’t have a clue what speed limits are outside schools and more than one in five (21%) said they had been guilty of going over the speed limit outside their child’s school.

The report – commissioned by dashcam brand Nextbase – also uncovered a range of other offences committed by parent drivers who take their children to school. One in four admitted to parking on double yellow lines, while another 24 per cent said they had parked on white zig-zagged lines outside schools. Just under one in three (29%) respondents admitted they illegally leave their engine running while dropping off their kids, and 22 per cent said they were happy to block driveways if it meant they could get closer to the school gates.

The school run can also be a hostile place. The research found that six in ten parent drivers had argued with other parents over driving misdemeanours, and 39% said they had personally witnessed a crash, or dangerous parking or driving near a school. The top reason parents gave for breaking the Highway Code was found to be simply wanting to get to school quicker, but more than half (55%) said they wished more could be done to enforce road safety outside their child’s school.

Aston spoke to Bryn Brooker, head of road safety at Nextbase.

Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash