RACV push for all school zones to be lowered to 40km/h

The RACV has called for speed limits to drop again outside 148 schools across Victoria, asking why some kids get better protection than others.

Speed limits at more than 100 schools would be slashed to 40km/h under a new campaign by the state’s peak motoring organisation.

The RACV has called on the Andrews Government to urgently reduce speeds in a bid to improve safety for children and parents during pick up and drop off times.

RACV’s senior manager of transport, planning and infrastructure, Peter Kartsidimas, said there were 148 schools in Melbourne and regional Victoria where the local speed limit was 60km/h.

“Why do some Victorian children get greater protection than others on their way to and from school?” he said.

“40km/h speed zones were introduced to keep children safe.

“That’s why speed limits outside all Victorian schools should be 40km/h,.”

There are 148 school zones still at 60km/h. Picture: Ian Currie

The new campaign has been backed by the Royal Children’s Hospital, Kidsafe Victoria, the Victorian Association Catholic Primary School Principals and Parents Victoria.

Royal Children’s Hospital director of trauma services Warwick Teague said a child was likely to be hurt in three different parts of the body after being hit by a car moving at speed.

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“Typically, they are struck from the side with devastating force, destroying the entire side of their body including the liver and chest,” he said.

“They are instantly flung up onto the bonnet and hit their head, then thrown forward and strike the ground with their head.

“If they survive their lives will be defined every hour, every day by that crash.”

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