Road safety

Staying safe on our roads with our support Tweed Shire Council works with Transport for NSW, police and other agencies to keep our local roads safe.

During the year we support road safety campaigns to highlight dangerous behaviour such as speeding and drink driving.

The Joe Rider motorcycle safety campaign is running for the first time from 28 October to 1 November 2024.

We also run workshops and events to raise awareness about road safety issues and encourage use of active transport - read about our Tweed Pedestrian and Bike Plan.

Share your concerns or suggestions – report a problem online or contact us.

School zones

School zone sign Council is working to improve parking, traffic flow and road user behaviour in school zones. Children are at greater risk higher due to their size and inability to judge speed and distance.

Peak traffic times:

8 am – 9:30 am
2:30 pm – 4 pm

The speed limit is 40 km/h through school zones at these times.

Council works in partnership with local schools to educate parents and carers about the risks of speeding and illegal parking.

At the start of each school year new parents are learning the school run, so take extra care at this time.

School Zone Parking information sheet(PDF, 2MB)

Road safety in school zones

  • Never call your child across the road.
  • Do not park in the school bus zone, on zebra crossings or footpaths.
  • Never double park, this reduces driver visibility and causes congestion.
  • Encourage your child to enter and exit the car from the kerb.
  • Be patient and follow the directions of the School Crossing Supervisor.

Fines and demerit points in school zones

Council rangers and police enforce the rules in school zones. Fines and demerit points are issued for:

  • speeding
  • double parking
  • stopping on or near a children’s crossing
  • using a hand-held mobile phone while driving
  • approaching a children’s crossing too quickly to stop safely.

Read more about parking in the Tweed.

Road safety campaigns

Motorcyclist wearing a high visibility vest with the 'I Am Joe Rider' and Tweed Shire Council logos printed on the back. Joe Rider motorcycle safety campaign

Each October, Motorcycle Awareness Month promotes safety for motorcyclists and drivers. Although motorcycles make up a small percentage of vehicles, they account for a higher share of serious road accidents. This month reminds drivers to be extra vigilant and share the road safely.

In October 2024, we’ll be holding our first Joe Rider campaign to help reduce crashes by raising awareness among drivers. It focuses on SMIDSY (Sorry Mate, I Didn’t See You) crashes, which happen when drivers fail to notice motorcyclists. The campaign encourages drivers to regularly check their mirrors and blind spots, especially when merging or turning.

The Spot Joe Rider competition encourages the community to watch out for motorcyclists. Local volunteers will wear high visibility "I Am Joe Rider" vests while riding around Tweed Shire. Spotting a Joe Rider is part of this safety initiative, helping raise awareness and protecting lives.

Enter the competition to win a prize!

Read more about motorcycle safety.

‘Smiley signs’ Community Speed Project

Council’s smiley face speed awareness devices are used to reduce speed on our roads.

The signs flash a smiley face to drivers travelling at or below the speed limit. A sad face appears with the message ‘slow’ down’ if drivers are over the speed limit.

Speeds dropped by an average of 7 km/h when signs were trialled in Casuarina.

Speeding dropped from 58% to 7% of vehicles when signs were installed in Kingscliff.

mobile signs are used at:

  • known speeding hotspots
  • areas of on-going community concern
  • areas with a high number of vulnerable road users
  • areas with a recorded crash history.

To nominate a location for a smiley sign email tsc@tweed.nsw.gov.au

Cycling safely

During the year we offer cycling workshops as part of the Local Government Road Safety Program. Workshops are posted on Facebook and in the Tweed Link.

Read about e-bike safety.

Workshops for older road users

Council runs road safety workshops for people 65 years and over. Learn how to make safer choices when driving, cycling, walking, using a mobility scooter or catching public transport.

Topics include:

  • NSW older driver licensing system
  • transitioning from driving to other transport options
  • top 10 misunderstood road rules

To register your interest call our Road Safety Officer on 02 6670 2400.

Road Rules Awareness Week

Road Rules Awareness Week gives road users the chance to improve their knowledge of the NSW road rules.

The Transport NSW campaign takes place in February each year.

Call 13 22 13 if you have a road rule question.

Speed limits

Speed limits are set and reviewed by Transport for NSW. To have your say on speed limits visit Safer Roads NSW.

You can also request a speed camera.

Black Spot Program NSW

Under the Australian Government's Black Spot Program, we target specific road locations where crashes are occurring by funding measures such as traffic signals, roundabouts, safety barrier and audio-tactile line marking (ATLM) to reduce the risk of further crashes.

Also see

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