A PRINCIPAL says speed limits outside every school should "absolutely" be dropped to 40km an hour.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The RACV is calling for 20km speed reductions outside the 150 schools where the speed limit is 60km an hour, arguing it would dramatically reduce dangers to children and their families.
That would include on the Calder Alternate Highway at Lockwood South Primary School, where the limit is dropped from 80km/h to 60/h during drop-off and pick-up.
"After hearing the idea, I found myself 100 per cent agreeing with it," principal Adam Torney said.
"I know it's had an effect in towns where the speed zones were dropped from 60 to 40.
"We just want that equality of safety that children and their families have in towns."
The RACV's Peter Kartsidimas said reducing speeds to 40km/hour significantly increases the chances of those struck by a vehicle surviving.
"Why do some Victorian children get greater protection than others on their way to and from school?" he asked.
More news:
Mr Torney said the reduction could make the school safer for parents to pull in and out of.
There are already concerns about the number of people who break the 60km/h speed limit as they drove through.
"I would say that on a daily basis we see vehicles going past at 80km/h during school zone speed reduction times," he said.
"It can be a very precarious thing for families pulling out of the car park. We are located on a bend too, so it's sometimes nearly a blind turn oout of our driveway and we really rely on others doing the speed limit."
Mr Torney suspected that people sometimes ignored the speed reduction, justifying their actions with arguments like "it's only a small school" or "what's the difference between 80km/h and 60km/h?"
A Department of Transport spokesperson said school limits are assessed on a case by case basis and take into account factors like crash history, traffic volumes, types of road users, the road environment and how schools are accessed.
"We work closely with councils and the Department of Education on setting safe speed limits around schools," they said.
Typically, 60km/h school speed zones are set on roads where the speed limit is 80km/h or greater.
Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.