The safety of students and their families around Ku-ring-gai’s schools will be given a welcome boost with the installation of extra school zone flashing lights, State Member Alister Henskens SC MP announced.

The new lights will be installed at Turramurra North Public School (Normurra Avenue) and Pymble Ladies College (Pymble Avenue) as part of a state-wide roll out of additional flashing lights at an extra 104 schools.

In August last year, the NSW Government announced a $5 million program to install extra flashing lights at 400 NSW schools.

The program, which will be completed in July, is running on time and under budget, allowing for the installation of these extra lights at a further 104 school zones.

Mr Henskens said the program is part of the government’s $10 million boost to school zone safety, which includes $5 million for the additional lights and $5 million for pedestrian safety infrastructure, like raised zebra crossings around schools.

“This is great news for our schools. There’s nothing more important than making sure our kids are safe, especially when they are making their way to and from school,” Mr Henskens said.

“These new lights will help us achieve this by reminding drivers to slow down and be mindful there are children around.

“Children are some of our most vulnerable road users. That’s why we’re doing everything possible to keep them safe on our roads and near our schools.”

In 2013, the NSW Government announced the expansion of the school zone flashing lights program to ensure every school in NSW had at least one a set of flashing lights.

The program was completed by the end of 2015, with more than 1700 schools across the state receiving a set of flashing lights.

Centre for Road Safety Executive Director, Bernard Carlon, said that all NSW schools have prominent signs, ‘40’ pavement patches and ‘dragon’s teeth’ road markings to improve school zone visibility and remind drivers that they must slow down to 40km/h during school zone times.

“A vehicle that hits a pedestrian at 50km/h is twice as likely to cause a fatality as the same vehicle travelling at 40km/h, which is why school zone speed limits are so important,” Mr Carlon said.

“We are committed to providing a safe road environment for children, both close to home and on their way to and from school.

“We are doing this through improvements in school zone infrastructure, as well as ongoing road safety education in schools and early childhood services.

“We are backing this up with targeted communication and enforcement campaigns that remind drivers to slow down in school zones.

“Drivers also face tougher penalties that apply in 40km/h school zones. Offences such as speeding, double parking and illegal U-turns attract a higher fine and additional demerit points when committed in a school zone.”