Kindergarteners at risk under current road safety legislation

Kinder parents in Camberwell say their children are being put at risk because of a “dangerous” loophole in state road rules — and their appeals to have it fixed are being ignored.

Parents say all roads outside kinders should have the same speed limits as school zones. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Frightened parents want a dangerous “loophole” in the state’s road laws closed after a number of near-misses outside a busy suburban kindergarten.

Rosanna Kirn said she was prompted to fight for a “speed advisory” sign outside her son’s former kinder, St Dunstan’s Anglican Kindergarten in Camberwell, after witnessing an “erratic” driver almost hit a mother and her child as they attempted to cross the adjacent Wattle Valley Rd.

The speed limit outside all schools in the state is restricted to 40km/h but kindergartens are not included.

Ms Kirn lobbied Boroondara Council, VicRoads and the State Government, resulting in an advisory speed sign erected outside the kindergarten last month.

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But parent Simone McKenzie said the lower speed was not legally enforceable and driver behaviour had not changed.

She also said kindergarten-aged children were more vulnerable to road accidents because they had not yet fully grasped the principles of road safety.

“Their senses are not as aware of cars travelling at particular distances,” she said.

Ms Kirn said she wanted a regulatory 40km/h speed zone introduced outside all kindergartens.

“It would make drivers think, ‘hey, I’ve got to take the pedal off the mettle here and really think about what I’m doing,” Ms Kirn said.

Simone McKenzie, (left), with her son Jack, 3, says drivers should slow down to 40km/h as they pass kindergartens. Picture: Andy Brownbill

St Dunstan’s kindergarten director Michele Daniel said speeding drivers were a growing problem and she’d seen a number of close calls during her 15 years at the centre.

Ms Kirn said it wasn’t right that kinders were excluded from 40km/h speed zones.

“That is the ultimate aim, to close this loop hole,” she said.

“Child safety for our littlest members of the community is what we’re about.”

Boroondara Council spokeswoman Carolyn Terry said the council made multiple requests to VicRoads for regulatory 40km/h speeds signs outside St Dunstans, but was refused.

The council was unable to install enforceable speed signs without VicRoads approval, she said.

“The 40km/h speed signs installed are advisory only, which tell drivers there could be danger or potential hazards ahead,” she said.

“If given the ability, the council will consult with the kindergarten and community … with a view to installing regulatory speed limit signs,” she said.

But information provided by VicRoads noted the council was responsible for setting speed limits on local roads, including those near St Dunstan’s.

Spokesman Con Stasinos said requests for speed limit reviews could be made to VicRoads and would be assessed on a case-by-case basis.