Abuse of lollipop men and women is condemned by Mayo official

THE Mayo road safety officer has hit out that lollipop men and women are not getting the respect they deserve from some motorists.

Noel Gibbons said once school wardens raise their sign, drivers must, by law, stop and wait for the patrol officer to return to the pavement before moving off.

He stated: "Although the majority of drivers respect the work carried out at school crossings, there is still a small but significant number who ignore the law, abuse the service and put the lives of children and the patrols at risk.

“Not only is it dangerous for drivers to ignore a school warden, but it is also against the law. Wardens, like gardaí, have the legal power to stop traffic. Drivers who fail to stop for school traffic warden could face a €120 fine, four penalty points and disqualification."

Motorists were also reminded by Mr. Gibbons that CCTV cameras operate at some locations while dash cams also exist in many cars now a days and can capture dangerous driving.