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Builders are adding a new room to the family home, designed partly to combat the rising number of toddlers run over in driveways.
Linking the garage and the main home, the so-called 'kids' "drop zone" or "park and play space" is a room to store school bags, shoes, coats and umbrellas while doubling as a place to keep young children safe when parents move the family car.
It is modelled on a "mud room", popular in American homes, a secondary entry for removing footwear and storing jackets and coats before entering the main house.
Anything that is put into the design of a home that separates children from the car is an advantage
An average of seven Aussie children a year are killed on driveways by vehicles, usually driven by a parent, relative or family friend.
Kidsafe spokesman Robert Caulfield, who is also an architect and former boss of the Australian Institute of Architects building design service, said drop zone rooms were becoming more popular and were useful for preventing driveway accidents. "Anything that is put into the design of a home that separates children from the car is an advantage," he said.
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