A road outside a school is marked with yellow zigzag lines. What do these lines mean?
Road markings are used to give drivers immediate information about what to do. You also need to take extra caution when driving in school zones.
You shouldn’t wait or park your vehicle in a road marked with yellow zigzag lines. Parking here would obstruct other road users’ views of the school entrance and jeopardise the safety of the children walking to and from school.
Outside schools, yellow zigzags are frequently placed on the road, along with the phrase ‘School — keep clear.’ Don’t even stop to drop off or pick up children, or to park. The markings are intended to ensure that drivers going through the area and youngsters crossing the road have a clear, unobstructed view of the crossing area.
You may also come across an upright sign announcing a mandatory prohibition on stopping during the specified times.
Parking on the zigzag lines is a waiting offence that is dealt with by civil enforcement offers from local governments.
Aside from that, the legislation is murky. According to the EAT, yellow zigzag lines without signs only encourage motorists not to wait or park on them.
The local authority does not have the jurisdiction to issue a penalty charge notice, but the police can issue a ticket for obstructing other cars or pedestrians to add to the confusion.
