All Roads Outside Primary Schools Will Have Speed Limit Alerts by 2019

The roads outside 170 of Singapore's 187 primary schools are expected to have flashing lights that indicate a 40 km/hr speed limit for passing vehicles by 2019. This is part of the LTA's efforts to make school zones and the nearby roads safer for children.

In 2013, school zone safety was heavily criticized following the death of two young brothers after being hit by a truck in Tampines.

A tender to implement the new signs has already been called, and is expected to be awarded in the fourth quarter of 2016. Installation is expected to start in the second quarter of 2017.

"Even visitors I bring from overseas are impressed,"said Nanyang Technological University (NTU) transport consultant Gopinath Melon, alluding to the proven effectiveness of the school zones.

"A lot of work has been done by the various agencies to make school zones safe," Mr. Menon added.

However, the senior research fellow at the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at NTU claims that a huge part of keeping children safe still falls to the motorists and how they behave on the road.

"This is certainly a good initiative. Safety is paramount and no stones should be left unturned in ensuring the safety of our students," said Government Parliamentary Committee for Transport chairman Mr. Sitoh Yih Pin.

43 year-old Mr Eric Leck, who has a daughter in Primary 2, said it's a step in the right direction.

"Some children have to cross the road without being accompanied by their parents or guardians.", he said.

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