Project Zebra was developed by Jane Sullivan, WAVE School Travel Plan Coordinator in collaboration with partners SC Road Safety, Timaru District Council, Timaru Police and Auckland Transport.

The need for the project was identified in 2019 through school travel surveys with Highfield School whanau and later from discussions with Timaru South School.  Driver speeds and raising awareness of driver responsibility (i.e., stop for pedestrians waiting) were key drivers, plus students needed to learn the Kerb drill (STOP, LOOK, LISTEN) and learn to be responsible for their own safety when crossing on a zebra crossing.

“Whanau walking to school with Tamariki sets them up for the day and is also an opportunity to connect and be active together” Jane Sullivan WAVE School Travel Plan Coordinator said.

The goal of project zebra is to promote safer speed and behaviour of drivers as they approach pedestrian crossings as well as student awareness of the crossing and perceptions of their own safety while walking, South Canterbury Road Safety Coordinator Lucy Mehrtens said.

A demonstration for this term has been held at Grantlea Downs School during morning drop off and afternoon pick up from October 30 to November 3.

On Monday afternoon Grantlea Students had a new ‘Zephyr the zebra’ with National Party MP-Elect for Rangitata James Meager.

[On Monday] I joined the amazing Lucy Mehrtens and her team at Grantlea Downs School to play the role of Zephyr the Zebra and help teach school kids about safely crossing busy roads,” Meager said.

Project Zebra is a great initiative to engage with school staff, students, families, and other road users to start conversations about the importance of safe travel behaviour.

As a community we all have a responsibility in ensuring the active journey (walk, scoot, bike) to school is safe for our Tamariki and rangatahi.

Stop, look, listen! Cross at the Zebra.

“The message we are reinforcing to the Tamariki is stop look and listen. If our Tamariki are doing the basics right, then it reduces harm” Deb Quested Senior Community Constable New Zealand Police said.

Mehrtens said tamariki have been very good but hopes the message around zebra crossings also reaches drivers.

“One thing we are really tyring to teach kids is the stop part of stop look listen. A lot of them see the car slowing and want cross but we are teaching them to wait until the car has come to a complete stop before crossing at a zebra crossing,” she said.

“A lot of motorists are doing the right thing by stopping at zebra crossings especially around schools, to keep our tamariki and rangitahi safe drivers need to slow down around schools when it is drop off and pick up time.”