Keep our kids safe at pick-up time
STAR picket poles and yellow exclusion tape have been erected between a makeshift car park and the oval to stop the unthinkable happening again at Cooroy State School.
None of the parents queuing in the long line of cars outside the school, or waiting on the sidewalk to collect their children after the final bell, want a repeat of the serious accident that occurred on April 20.
Neither, of course, do the school administration, P&C and local Member for Nicklin Peter Wellington, who are all working on a safer northern school parking solution.
The three school mums who the Noosa News spoke with on Thursday were still horrified for the Prep student, Tahlia, who was seriously injured by a car while waiting on the oval near the makeshift pick-up point.
After undergoing successful surgery in the Royal Brisbane Children's Hospital, Tahlia is recovering from her injuries, which included a broken leg, cuts to the scalp and grazes on her chest.
The school mums were equally sympathetic for the driver - believed to be a mum on the afternoon school run.
"They've put some barriers up there. I think they're just trying to stop kids from running out into the cars," said the first mum. "I don't usually park up there - I used to on and off and it was a bit messy because kids get away from their parents. Parents need to keep control of their kids."
She said there had never previously been an accident, but it was time for a proper parking facility to be built on site.
"The thing is we don't have enough parking. I've spoken to other parents - there's nothing set up there about where you park and how you park, but everyone seems to do the same thing ... follow the general idea."
The second mum agreed. "They'd better do something now," she said.
"I think the kids were playing and rolling around on the oval in front of the car. They've put on extra parking down here, but it's still not enough. There's no allocated spots."
She said all parents were concerned about the parking situation.
"I try not to park down there. I was horrified, but it could have been a lot worse. I feel sorry for the woman who hit her - it could have been any other mother."
The third mum has three children attending Cooroy and has been picking up for the past four years. She said she would not want the off-street parking taken away.
"It's pretty tragic what happened - the little girl looks like she is going to recover, but whether the driver will is another thing," she said.
"I think it's a great idea to put the barricade up - that's what they need some sort of permanent barrier.
"Most kids feel pretty safe there on the oval. I think she was just sitting there waiting for her mum."
