REMEMBER WHEN

GOLD COAST BULLETIN Friday, June 23, 2000

NEAR misses on Gold Coast roads are nothing new.

More than 17 years ago a Miami High School student was photographed dodging traffic to cross the Gold Coast Hwy.

The oncoming car changed lanes to avoid him but almost 500 Queensland children were hit by cars that year, leading to six fatalities.

At the Miami High School the problem of students crossing the highway become so bad school officials called for a barrier to be built down the centre of the four-lane road.

It was not a scene exclusive to Miami but was repeated at dozens of Gold Coast schools.

The picture came months after speed limits on the busy thoroughfare were increased from 60km/h to 70km/h.

The community was outraged and Miami High School principal Jim Barker launched an unsuccessful campaign to reduce speeds.

“Some months ago the speed limit was increased,” he said at the time. “We wrote to the minister expressing concerns and asking for advice.

“The response we got was that the speed limit could not be changed and the removal of undergrowth and additional signs may raise driver awareness of students crossing.”

He said there was also a problem with students running across the road or riding their bikes towards the traffic.

Nowadays pedestrians and motorists have even more to worry about with the introduction of trams to busy thoroughfares.

Despite many near misses, there has been no major pedestrian incidents involving the Gold Coast trams.