People are being asked to be vigilant of children as the 2012 school year starts in Tauranga this week.

Primary school children are heading back to the classrooms from today and high school students start back from Wednesday, January 31.

Police are asking people to be careful and considerate when driving around school districts, to ensure the safety of children who are particularly vulnerable as they travel to and from school on foot, bikes or scooters.

Senior Sergeant Kris Burbery says many may be starting school for the first time and children are easily distracted by friends and surroundings and may not be aware of the dangers and risks.

'Over the next couple of weeks we will be increasing patrols around schools in both rural and urban areas.

'Road safety and the protection of our children is everyone's responsibility and it is important that motorists are alert, careful, considerate and patient.”

Police staff will be not only have a major presence around schools, but will also be enforcing any parking offending and monitoring the speed of vehicles around schools.

'Motorists should be aware there is a 4km tolerance for speed in the vicinity of a school, however given the risks, drivers should be prepared for anything unexpected or congestion on the roads and ensure they drive to the conditions at the time.

'This would generally require a driver to travel well under that speed limit.”

Parents are also being urged to discuss their children's road safety and ensure their children have coats and bags that make them highly visible when travelling to school.