Page 3256 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 22 August 2012
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The following information was published by the New South Wales RTA in 2006:
An evaluation of flashing lights in 40km/hr school zones carried out by the Australian Road Research Board for the then RTA in 2006 demonstrated that: Flashing lights were effective in reducing vehicle speed outside schools during the operation of the 40 km/hr school speed zone.
There is considerable published research from the United States and other countries detailing the efficacy of flashing lights in reducing speed. In 1993 Neil Hawkins wrote an article entitled “Modified signs, flashing beacons and school zone speeds” for the Institute of Transportation Engineers (USA). He said:
Following installation of the new signs [with flashing lights], average speeds were reduced by 9.3 percent. One year after installation the average speeds maintained a 7 percent reduction. Before the installation of the flashing beacons, the highest speeds were found in the afternoon studies. One year after installation, the afternoon speeds maintained an 8.8 percent reduction while the morning speeds maintained a 5.6 percent reduction.
A New South Wales parliamentary committee received the following comments in the form of submissions to an inquiry. Mr Mark Wolstenholme, the senior policy adviser for traffic and roads from the NRMA, said:
NRMA believes that a motorist’s awareness of school zones and ability to comply with the speed limit has been significantly improved where flashing lights have been installed, with positive implications for road safety. This is based on a variety of evidence including NRMA’s own observations and feedback received from NRMA Members that flashing lights help motorists identify both the school zone and when it is operational, enabling them to adjust their speed accordingly.
Research shows that flashing lights reduce ambiguity about a school zone’s operational status, and thus improve compliance with the 40km/h speed limit. It is in everyone’s interest to maximise compliance, and so it would appear to be logical that flashing lights should be deployed first at those locations which have the greatest differential between the normal speed limit and the school zone limit.
Ms Vanessa Whittington, representing the New South Wales Commissioner for Children and Young People, said:
... the Commission believes every school in NSW should have a flashing light warning system in place so that all children enjoy the same level of protection. The Commission supports the Auditor-General’s recommendation to improve the visibility of school zones by increasing the use of flashing light warning systems and fitting flashing lights at all school zones with non-standard operating times.
Mrs Kelly MacDonald from the Federation of Parents and Citizens Associations of New South Wales said:
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