More students hit by cars
A record number of WA students have been hit by cars while walking to or from school.
An alarming 22 children were struck as they made their way to or from public schools during the first three terms this year - a 145 per cent increase on last year's four-term total.
Education Minister Peter Collier said the figure was unacceptable and pleaded with motorists to obey the 40km/h limit as students returned for fourth term yesterday.
Mr Collier said that after a fortnight's break, some drivers might forget about speed reductions in school zones.
"There is complacency and inattention, particularly after holidays," he said.
"It is absolutely imperative that drivers are aware of the fact that around school zones it is 40km/h and they must adhere to that strict limit."
Mr Collier said parents also needed to remind children to be vigilant when walking to school.
"Without a doubt some students will suffer from inattention around cars and they must be equally mindful," he said.
John Forrest Secondary College principal Judy Silsbury said a student who was hit by a car in August was not injured because the driver was travelling at 5km/h. "The child fell back on to their bag and sustained no injuries," Ms Silsbury said.
"The child was able to walk home. It was all down to the fact that road rules had been observed by that driver."
Acting Road Safety Minister John Day said the Government was on track to deliver last year's election commitment of installing flashing 40km/h signs outside all WA's 1071 public schools by mid-2017. Only 235 schools have been equipped so far.
More than 28,000 motorists have been caught speeding through school zones this year.
Police nabbed about 40,000 road users speeding through the zones last year.
Road trauma is the main cause of death for children under 14 and the second most common cause of them ending up in hospital.
