Students in Mount Isa will have good reason to feel safer on the journey to and from school when four new sets of flashing school zone lights are installed later this year.
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Happy Valley State School, St Joseph’s Catholic School, Sunset State School and Healy State School will all receive brand new signs warning motorists to slow down during school zone times.
The installation of the lights comes as part of the Palaszczuk Government’s election promise to deliver 300 flashing school signs over three years.
Main Roads and Road Safety Minister Mark Bailey said the signs increased safety for school students across the state.
“The flashing signs have been a resounding success since the Labor Government introduced them in 2011, with more than 600 installed in school zones across Queensland.
“Flashing lights will be installed at schools all over Queensland including Happy Valley State School and Sunset State School,” he said.
“Students arriving and leaving school can be preoccupied and unpredictable around roads and cars. That’s why we’re committed to improve road safety surrounding schools.
“Flashing school lights alert and remind drivers they are entering a school zone and need to slow down.”
Sergeant Shaune English from the Mount Isa Police Station said flashing lights were important to bring school zones to drivers’ attention.
“The thing we hear the most when we pull people over for speeding in a school zone is ‘I didn’t realise the time’, so these lights highlight that it’s a school zone and it’s school time,” he said.
Sergeant English said Mount Isa had flashing school zone signs at Good Shepherd Catholic College and at Barkly Highway State School.
He said the council worked with the government to identify at-risk areas and upgrade school zone signs.
Mr Bailey said accident history, traffic volumes, pedestrians and a street’s speed limit were all factors that are considered when assessing a school for flashing lights.
He also said motorists had to be vigilant when driving.
“This isn’t something we can do on our own, we need motorists to be alert and adjust their speed when driving through school zones,” Mr Bailey said.
The Palaszczuk Government committed $12 million to school signs across Queensland.
