Every WA school zone to light up for safety

• Every school with a 40kmh zone to have electronic flashing speed zone signs

• Flashing lights raise motorists awareness to slow down

• Solar-powered electronic school zones rolled out to improve child safety

A Liberal-led Government, if re-elected, will install electronic flashing speed signs at every 40kmh school zone across the State to improve the safety of Western Australian children.

"As children arrive back at school next week for the start of a new school year, I am pleased to reveal plans to improve our children's safety by rolling out these highly visual signs to all school zones across the next four years," Transport Minister Troy Buswell said.

"These lights are an excellent way to raise drivers' awareness that they are entering a different speed zone and to make sure they slow down. The Liberal-led Government has made road safety one of its top priorities."

There are 1,072 public and private schools with a 40kmh school zone across WA.

Last year the Liberal-led Government doubled its funding and the installation rate for the flashing signs at school zones, with $2.5million allocated from the Road Trauma Trust Account to bring the number of electronic school zones to 144 by June 30, 2013.

A Liberal-led Government will commit an additional $36million to rolling out these flashing lights to the remaining 928 schools across the next four years. Since coming to Government nearly $6million has been allocated to this program.

In eight years, under the former Labor government, only five schools had the signs installed.

Police and Road Safety Minister Liza Harvey said there had been a strong focus on road safety in the past four years.

"This Government decided all red light and speed camera collections would go directly towards improving road safety," Mrs Harvey said.

"Flashing school zone lights have been well received by schools, parents and motorists but, more importantly, help save the lives of the State's most precious resource."

      Fact File

• 40kmh school zones operate on school days from 7.30am-9am and 2.30pm-4pm

• Electronic signs linked remotely to Main Roads Traffic Operations Centre

• Typical cost to install electronic school zones per school zone is about $40,000

• Liberal National Government has made road safety one of its top priorities.  Roads that are designed, built and maintained with driver safety in mind are fundamental to saving lives

• For the first time in WA's history, this year the Liberal National Government has committed to providing the Road Trauma Trust Fund with 100% of all red light and speed camera revenue.  WA and Queensland are the only States in Australia to do this

• 100% of $88million collected from speeding fines and red light infringements to be allocated to Road Trauma Trust Fund in 2012-13

Transport Minister's office - 6552 6400

Police and Road Safety Minister's office - 6552 5900