WITH the dreaded school run back in full swing, parents risk a £70 fine for a common driving error.
An expert has reminded mums and dads how to avoid a penalty landing on the doormat as the new school year begins.
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Mike Thompson, COO of Leasing Options, warns: “Going back to school this September, parents need to be careful driving and parking, and not just to avoid a fine or penalty.”
Watch out for yellow zig-zags
One of the fines parents are most at risk of, he explains, is for parking on yellow zig-zag “keep clear” markings outside school gates.
The offence – which results in a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) – usually carries a £70 fine, cut to £35 if paid within 14 days.
Thompson urges parents hit with a PCN to check their rights as “factors such as the wrong signage, or recently changed road markings can be grounds for an appeal”.
Don’t leave your engine running
Another habit that could cost parents is leaving their engine running while parked near schools.
Under the Road Traffic (Vehicle Emissions) Regulations 2002, this can result in a £20 fine, which doubles to £40 if unpaid.
Thompson explains: “This comes as councils are under increasing pressure to crack down on environmental issues.
“Many areas are also now operating “School Streets”, where roads are now closed to non-residents during drop-off and pick-up times.
“Driving through these zones when restrictions are in place can trigger fines of between £60 to £130.”
The most serious reminder is around child seat safety.
With police more likely to carry out safety checks near schools, parents face a £100 fine – plus three penalty points – if their child is not strapped in to their child seat correctly.
Child safety first
“These fines demonstrate that the school run can quickly become expensive if rules are ignored,” Thompson explains, “which is why councils recommend parking a short walk away from schools, and instead walking to the gates.”
It comes as new technology to catch law-breaking motorists was recently trialled – with apparent success.
In the West Midlands, over 4,000 people have been fined in just two weeks after being caught using illegal number plates.
So-called “ghost plates” have a reflective coating, meaning they cannot be read by police Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems.
They are also invisible to speed cameras, bus lane cameras and low emission zone cameras.
Common ways parents get fined during school runs
Mike Thompson, COO at Leasing Options, says these are the four most common driving errors at drop-off and pick-up:
- Parking on yellow zig-zags markings outside the school gates
- Leaving engines running while parked outside schools
- Driving through “School Streets” zones
- Not strapping a child into their child seat properly
According to West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster, these illegal plates are a “serious criminal enabler”.
The pilot scheme, run in collaboration with Redspeed International and using its Sentio Ghost camera technology, was dubbed Operation Phantom.
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