SPEEDSTERS WATCH OUT

Far North motorists who put children's lives at risk by speeding passed stationary school buses are in the cross-hairs of Kaitaia police who will be carrying out speeding stings around the district.

Constable Dion Masters, of Kaitaia police, said he had become increasingly concerned at the number of motorists who were ignoring the speed restrictions around stationery school buses and putting young lives in danger.

Mr Masters was aware of one motorist clocked doing 100kmh past a stopped school bus - five times the 20kmh limit.

Many children have died when crossing to or from a school bus since 1987, with some some of those deaths caused by speeding motorists and Mr Masters doesn't want to see any such deaths on his watch.

"The speed limit past a stationary school bus is 20kmh, but it seems that many people just don't adhere to it, which puts the lives of our children at risk," Mr Masters said.

"It's a safety issue. It's to protect our kids getting on and off the school bus."

He said motorists would not know they were being watched as covert stings, in unmarked police vehicles, would likely be used to catch offenders.

"You won't know when it's going to happen or where.

"This is their one warning, they won't see us, but we will see them," Mr Masters said.

He said the district's schools and bus companies were right behind the crackdown.

"It's frustrating to see people doing 100kmh past school buses, that's just far too fast and far too dangerous."

Mr Masters said anybody caught doing such speed past a stationary school bus would be hit with a $630 fine and could find themselves prosecuted for driving at a dangerous speed.

* Kaitaia College student Grant Collins, 13, was hit and fatally injured only moments after getting off the school bus and dashing across State Highway 1, at the intersection with Houhora Heads Rd, about 35km north of Kaitaia, in 2008.

In August 2011, an 11-year-old schoolboy was sent flying through the air after being hit by a vehicle after getting off the school bus at Waipapa. The boy escaped with minor injuries.