Brisbane school drop-off road rage fears uncovered in fast-growing suburbs

A Courier-Mail investigation has uncovered the hot pockets of suburbia where the school run has become a daily source of stress and anger, with residents afraid to leave home amid fears of road rage and dangerous driving.

Road rage, dangerous driving and residents afraid to leave home – a Courier-Mail investigation has uncovered the hot pockets of suburbia where the school run has become a daily source of stress and anger.

Frustrated locals living near schools in growing areas including Mansfield, Wishart, Mount Gravatt Wavell heights, Eatons Hill and Ferny Hills say traffic chaos and congestion has left them living in fear of being verbally attacked or involved in a fatal accident.

SEE WHAT LOCALS AND PARENTS HAVE TO SAY BELOW

Mansfield resident Sue Alexander said her local area near the primary and high schools has become a “nightmare” at drop off and pick up times.

“Parents park across driveways and if you ask them to move because you have to go out it’s not unusual to be abused or told they’ll only be 10 minutes,” she said.

“Someone is going to get very badly hurt one day, there’s nothing surer.”

Frustrated locals living near schools in growing areas say traffic chaos and congestion has left them living in fear of being verbally attacked or involved in a fatal accident

Off nearby Ham Road shift worker Rhiannon Rhodes said yellow lines outside her home were regularly ignored, creating dangerous blind spots.

“I have asked people to move so I can get out of my driveway so I can get to work, only to be verbally abused and told by parents to wait five minutes,” she said.

“This has happened so often I’ve resorted to trying to park out the front of my house so I can actually leave during school hours.”

Even school crossing supervisors are fearful of the growing unrest, with one telling The Courier-Mail incidents occur weekly.

“Parents would become frustrated towards us because we weren’t letting them cross alone or quickly enough, drivers would often yell from frustration from being stopped.” they said.

“When we brought up our concerns we were told to only report the really serious incidents, which allowed a dangerous community culture to continue.”

Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the government employed more than 2000 crossing supervisors to help with school zone safety, and that any abuse towards them was “disgraceful” and “not on”.

“Any person who engages in that behaviour is a stain on our entire community and does not share in our Queensland values,” he said.

Even school crossing supervisors are fearful of the growing unrest. Pic Mark Cranitch.

A Transport and Main Roads spokesman said the most dangerous time on Queensland roads was between 2pm and 6pm.

“We work closely with the Queensland Police Service regarding enforcement and now have speed camera trailers around schools,” he said.

“QPS actively monitors school zones for unsafe behaviour by motorists such as speed and illegal parking where children may be put at risk.”

TMR statistics reveal more than 4500 speeding fines were dished out in school zones in Brisbane last year.

In Ferny Hills near Patricks Road State School, resident Sandra Fraser said many of her elderly neighbours were afraid to leave their homes around school pick up and drop off time.

Ms Fraser said she sees constant “near-misses”, and recently almost collided head on with another car as it forced its way down the congested street.

“I held my breath as I drove and prayed until I was safely in my driveway,” she said.

“We are so frustrated and don’t know where to go from here.

“It’s sad when we sit and wait for a fatality every day knowing nobody is interested in taking responsibility for this issue.”

Brisbane City Council Community Health and Safety Chair Kim Marx said it could only take a split second for a tragic accident to occur, and said any safety concerns would be investigated.

“Unfortunately there is a small number of people doing the wrong thing and creating unnecessary risks in school zones,” she said.

“We will carry out enforcement around school zones if residents are deliberately parking over driveways, stop on yellow lines or in no stopping zones or double park.

“I encourage everyone to do the right thing and if they see something unsafe, report it to council or the police.”

Mansfield State High School is located in one of the areas of growing concern. (AAP Image/Richard Waugh)

Police officers are being deployed on a daily basis to school zones throughout the school year to enforce road laws, with speed cameras also set up to deter motorists.

Most recently, operation Sierra Boella was conducted in the first week of school to target illegal driver behaviour in school zones.

A QPS spokeswoman said the traffic congestion associated with drop off and pick up times can cause driver frustration.

“To reduce this, police ask that all motorists be patient and considerate to other road users and consider their behaviour around the school area where children are present,” she said.

“Police recommend that all motorists pay attention and be patient, particularly at drop off and pick up times when traffic and movement of children increases substantially.

“The QPS asks that parents be mindful of other road users when dropping and picking up children and not block traffic lanes, driveways or park unlawfully.”

WHAT LOCALS AND PARENTS HAVE TO SAY:

MANSFIELD STATE SCHOOL AND MANSFIELD STATE HIGH SCHOOL

“The parents of school children seem to think they have the right to ignore all No Standing signs, however they cause chaos. The council has been contacted on numerous occasions regarding illegal parking but there is little response and congestion and illegal activities continue every school day.”

“We have lived in Kenora St since the ‘80s and the change to the parking in the street and behaviour of some drivers has astounded us. They are not a good example to their children.”

“Mansfield High School is the worst due to the increase of students and school expansion. They wonder why they have so many late slips, poor kids can’t get to school on time due to traffic.”

“Don’t get me started on some parents being the worst offenders at speeding in 40km zones.”

“Ham Road is possibly the worst drop off and pick up I have ever come across. Driving down the wrong side of the road and on a crest of a hill is common place and all in all a most dangerous situation for everyone.”

“Broadwater Road at 3pm is a nightmare. Someone will get hit eventually.”

MOUNT GRAVATT STATE HIGH SCHOOL

“Many motorists are ignoring the street signs all because their precious darlings must be dropped off right at the school gate and must never walk!”

“It is simply dangerous driving through this entire area at anytime during school hours. With cars travelling in both directions (often at speed) and not enough space to keep a safe distance it is only a matter of time before there is a head on collision.”

WISHART STATE SCHOOL

“We had to resort to putting up traffic bollards during peak school times to stop people blocking access to our driveway. Almost daily we get road rage incidents from parents blocking the roads while others wait.”

“It’s absolutely mental the level of frustration and sheer stupidity that occurs there sometimes. Without a doubt something will occur. The school has doubled in size and so has my anxiety levels. The schools are trying the best they can with traffic management but the roads just simply cannot handle the traffic.”

“I see some really dangerous and stupid manoeuvres on an almost daily basis. I’d love for my children to walk themselves but it’s not them I don’t trust, it’s the stupid drivers.”

“Parents park across driveways daily. It takes 20 minutes to get from one end of the street to the other, with cars driving down the wrong side of the road due to cars queuing on a blind corner.”

“It’s a bloody nightmare. There has been several accidents at school time, apparently it’s been rectified but it’s only got worse, not better.”

EATONS HILL STATE SCHOOL

“I can’t leave my street between 3 and 3.30pm because of parents picking up children. I waited four sets of traffic lights the other day and had to not go to my local Woolworths due to rude people not letting me out into that lane.”

“How about the parents at EHSS who are lucky enough to get a car park in the afternoon collect their kids and leave straight away. Don’t hang around in the car park and natter for 30 minutes.”

WAVELL STATE HIGH SCHOOL

“The behaviour of school children walking by line of sight across streets is erratic. The behaviour of parent drivers is rude, inconsiderate at the least and illegal at the worst. Every day we look forward to sloppy parking, speeding, parking across driveways, illegal turns and failure to give right of way.”

“The congestion is shocking. Sometimes I cannot even get into my driveway.”

“The intersection is so chaotic and visibility low especially with the buses going through, it’s a wonder no one has been hit by a car or a bus yet. The kids have no street sense and step out onto the street and across driveways without looking.”