Creating Safer Roads for School Children
Dear parents, teachers and community members
Keeping children safe on the roads in and around schools is vitally important. However, speeding drivers are still putting children’s lives at risk.
We invite you to have your say about how best to fix this problem. A priority of this discussion paper is deterring speeding in school zones as well as improving general road safety for school children.
Options for consideration are:
- Flashing lights on all school speed signs when zones are active
- Heavier fines for speeding in school zones
- Safety audits for school set downs to prioritise works
Deadlines for submissions are
December 9, 2009.
We look forward to your ideas about improving school road safety so we can work with local communities to keep our children safe.
Yours sincerely
Fiona Simpson MP
Shadow Minister for Transport & Main Roads
Speeding in School Safety Zones:
School Safety Zones Signs were introduced in Queensland in 1998 but the evidence suggests that children are still at great risk from speeding drivers, even in areas where the speed limit is reduced.
Between May 2007 to April 2008, 10,187 motorists were detected speeding in school zones.
It appears many road users are not sure when School Zones are operative. Furthermore, a driver’s familiarity with the area can lead to a general level of complacency and therefore deterioration in safety awareness within these zones. To address this Queensland Transport has conducted trials of the “wig wag” flashing lights with results showing effective reduction of vehicle speeds in school zones. As of May 2009, there were 25 locations with these enhanced signs, or only 2% of Queensland school crossings.
For example, the enhanced lights at Yarrilee State School at Pialba have slowed traffic considerably. Despite these limited sites showing success, the Bligh Labor Government has no program to roll these special lights out comprehensively.
CLICK HERE to Have Your Say
Please submit your feedback by December 9, 2009 to:
Shadow Minister for Transport and Main Roads
Fiona Simpson
Suite 1, Cnr First and Memorial Avenues
MAROOCHYDORE Q 4558
Or complete the online form at
www.fionasimpson.com.au/pages/schoolroadsafetyfeedbackform.aspx