Authorities too slow to act on fast cars

The safety of our children, especially on or near roads, is paramount. Which iswhyin June last year, enterprising pupils from Lake Rerewhakaaitu School asked the Rotorua Lakes Council’s strategy, policy and finance committee to support a lower speed limit through the village from 70km/h to 50km/h.

They also asked for a 40km/h speed limit outside their school during school hours.

The pupils did the legwork themselves. They counted cars andmadecalculations.

“Room2, madeupof 7 to 8-yearolds, have -1.26 seconds of buffer on the road with a car going 50km/ h. This is highly concerning,” one pupil told the council committee at the time.

The council, at the time, were impressed enough torecommend to the full council that staff do a comprehensive road safety review including assessing posted speed limits around all rural schools.

So why, almost 18 months later, dowenot have a result?

Iunderstand the wheels of bureaucracy turn farmoreslowly than those thatzoompast schools on adaily basis but, as principal Rick Whalley points out, does a child have to die beforewesee moreurgency?

The school’s principal, Rural Communityboard chairwoman Shirley Trumper, Rotoruamayor Steve Chadwick and national road safety campaigner Caroline Perry have all called for standardised speed limits outside schools.

This almost happened in Novemberlast yearwhenjulie Annegenter, whowasassociate Transport Minister at the time, announced blanket speed limit cuts around schools across the country.

Under thenewrules, a 40km/ hspeed limit will apply outside all urban schools, and60km/h passing rural schools. But it could takeup to 10 years for the changes to be rolled out insomeareas.

Inmyview, 60km/his still too fast. It needs to be30km/h around all schools, during school hours.

Areport presented to the World Health Organisation states that pedestrians have beenshownto have a 90per cent chance of survivalwhenstruck by a car travelling at 30km/h or below, but less than 50 per cent chance of surviving an impact at 45km/h. Pedestrians have almost no chance of surviving an impact at 80km/h.

And10 years? That’s aboutsame amount of time for a child to be born, growup and almost finish primary school.

Bureaucracy— andpeople driving fast past schools— are the enemyhere.

The delay in getting this problem fixed is disgraceful and unacceptable.

The Government must act now.