Road Safety in School Zones

Dr Lim Wee Kiak asked the Minister for Education since March 2012 (a) what measures have been taken to boost road safety around school zones; and (b) whether there are any plans to implement additional measures to ensure the safety of their charges.

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Current measures to boost road safety around our schools include four specific measures:

(1) An Enhanced School Zone is provided at all Primary schools to alert motorists driving along roads near the school to slow down and to watch out for young children crossing the road. Features of the Enhanced School Zone include red textured surfaces, and prominent traffic signs.

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(2) Traffic impact studies are conducted by traffic consultants for all new Primary schools and holding sites to ensure optimal traffic arrangements within and around the vicinity.

(3) Schools conduct regular road safety talks, including at the beginning of every school year, to remind students of correct road safety behaviour.

(4) Schools deploy staff within their grounds and at the immediate external environment to help maintain safety for students and manage vehicular movement at arrival and dismissal times.

Arising from more recent road accidents in the vicinity of some schools, all our schools have conducted a fresh risk assessment of road safety in and around the school. Schools have found that the measures in place are adequate, although the assessments have led to enhancements in some instances. For example, Dunman Secondary School worked with LTA to raise the zebra crossing outside the school to make it more visible to motorists and to slow down the traffic. Railings were also fitted to deter pedestrians from dashing across the road and to steer them to use the proper pedestrian crossing.

MOE and schools will continue to work with LTA and Traffic Police to review the adequacy of road safety measures around our schools.

The safety of students using roads around the school is the responsibility of all. We need motorists to play their part by slowing down in the vicinity of schools, teachers and parents to reinforce correct road safety behaviour in our students, and students to exercise personal responsibility for their own safety.

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