Senior Constable Anthony Passalick prepares for a safe start to the 2013 school year.
REGION - More than 2000 students went back to school this week at Ararat Rural City's 13 schools and Northern Grampians Highway Patrol has urged motorists to take care on the road, particularly around school zones.
The 40 km/h school zones are back in force with the return of school and Sergeant Shaun Allen has warned motorists that police officers will be patrolling school zones and enforcing the law.
The first days of school are exciting and it's this excitement which can lead to distraction on our roads around crossings and parked cars.
Children, particularly younger primary school children, can be unpredictable and this is why motorists must slow down and obey school safety zones.
Sgt Allen urged motorists to make themselves familiar with the school zones in Ararat and in Ararat Rural City's rural towns where schools are located.
"We normally patrol school zones every day and we will continue to do this," he said.
"We will also be targeting school zones where complaints have been received.
"In the rural areas we've had complaints from Moyston and Pomonal as well."
Parents are also urged to instil safe road and pedestrian behaviour in their children.