BY 2019, roads outside almost all primary schools here will have flashing lights indicating a reduced speed limit of 40kmh during school arrival and dismissal hours.
More than 170 schools islandwide will have this feature, up from the 10 in the pilot programme introduced in January last year as part of the enhanced school zone scheme.
A spokesman for the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said the initiative was being expanded as it had proven effective and garnered positive feedback from the public.
“Surveys conducted at the 10 pilot locations by the LTA show that motorists would slow down their vehicles when approaching these stretches of roads,” she said.
The signs are one of several features designed to boost road safety near schools.
Aimed at encouraging motorists to drive more carefully outside primary schools, other features include red textured road surfaces, chevron markings and road humps.
The safety of children in school zones came under the spotlight in 2013 after two young brothers died when they were hit by a cement mixer truck in Tampines.
A tender to implement the flashing signs at various school zones has been called.
It is expected to be awarded in the fourth quarter of this year, with works expected to commence in the second quarter of next year.
Nanyang Technological University (NTU) transport consultant Gopinath Menon said the signs and other features of the enhanced school zones had worked well.
“Even visitors I bring from overseas are impressed,” added the senior research fellow at the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at NTU.
“A lot of work has been done by the various agencies to make school zones safe.”
Member of Parliament for Potong Pasir Sitoh Yih Pin, who chairs the Government Parliamentary Committee for Transport, applauded the move to expand the scheme.
“This is certainly a good initiative. Safety is paramount and no stone should be unturned in ensuring the safety of our students,” he said.
Eric Leck, who has a daughter in Primary 2, said the move was an important one to ensure the safety of primary-school pupils when crossing the road.
“Some children have to cross the road without being accompanied by their parents or guardians,” noted the 43-year-old engineer.
azhaki@sph.com.sg
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