Safer school crossings

School crossings and children’s crossings are places where pedestrians, especially children, should be able to cross the road safely and easily. School crossings are often staffed by school crossing supervisors who are trained and employed by local councils. However, ways to make quickly make safer school crossings are sometimes necessary when drivers and riders aren’t doing the right thing, endangering children, their carers and the school crossing supervisors.

Why drivers, riders or even the pedestrians aren’t doing the right thing might be due to reasons such as:

  • not noticing the crossing signs or flags
  • driving or riding too fast to stop in time
  • the crossing being obscured by parked vehicles and street trees
  • drivers distracted by their phones or other factors, and not paying attention or seeing people walking up to the crossing or on the crossing
  • ignoring the crossing supervisor or lights
  • people unexpectedly running or walking on to the road before the crossing, rather than at the crossing (‘jay walking’).

Improving safety for children, their carers and crossing supervisors is essential to create safe and active communities for walking, and a safe workplace for school and children’s crossing supervisors.

Established and proven techniques to improve safety at crossings are:

  • yellow slip-resistant safety surfaces
  • high-friction skid-resistant surfaces on the approaches
  • in-ground lights at the crossings.

Yellow slip-resistant safety surfaces are bright and eye-catching, and they contrast with the surrounding road surface. They can also reflect light better than darker colours, making them more visible at night or in low-light conditions. We specialise in durable, long-life, Australian recycled-glass safety surfaces that will maintain their colour and slip resistance for people and vehicles, and reduce lifecycle costs for Councils. It is vital that slippery paints, with poor or short-lived texture, aren’t put on crossings where skid resistance is so important.

Bright yellow pedestrian crossing on black asphalt. Tactile paving at curb with tree and red/white pole nearby.
Yellow OmniGrip CST school crossing

High friction surfaces are a special road surface that dramatically improves grip between vehicle tyres and the road. They’re used on high-risk bends and major intersections to reduce the stress and trauma of road crashes.

Road Safety Victoria’s Safe Routes to School (August 2021) says, ‘It is important to ensure and maintain high skid resistance on the approach to pedestrian crossings.’ In London, high friction surfaces are applied for up to 50 metres on the approaches to pedestrian crossings. Why? Because dramatically improving the grip between tyres and road surfaces enables vehicles to stop more quickly. That reduces the likelihood and severity of crashes and injuries that occur, and could make the difference between death, injury or no injury at all.

Street view of Ponisford Dr in a residential area with speed bump and bollards.
High friction surfaces for 50m in advance of school crossings (childrens crossings) would enable vehicles to stop faster, reducing likelihood and severity of crashes (artists impression)
Wet street with zebra crossing and raised platforms, orange beacons, cars parked on the left.
High Friction Surface in braking zone for pedestrian crossing (New Zealand)

In-ground lights are LED lights that are embedded in the road surface. To be bright enough to be seen in daylight, they need to be hard-wired and mains powered. They can be linked to adjacent roadside flashing amber lights so that they flash in sequence. In-ground lights can enhance the visibility of the crossing because they are in the line of sight of approaching drivers and riders. In Melbourne the lights are being used to improve the visibility of bike lanes across busy ride roads and driveways.

Urban scene with a cyclist on a green bike lane, set against a backdrop of diverse modern buildings.
Technology used for bike lane lights can be used to highlight school crossings

Using yellow safety surfaces, high friction surfaces and in-ground lights at school crossings have benefits, such as:

  • Improving the safety of people walking and working at the crossing, as well as drivers and riders, by reducing the risk of collisions or near misses
  • Increasing the awareness and compliance of drivers and pedestrians by making the crossing more noticeable
  • Enhancing the accessibility and inclusivity of school crossings by catering to different needs and preferences of people who are walking, such as those with impaired vision.

Yellow surfaces, high friction surfaces and in-ground lights are not only effective but also affordable and easy to install. They do not require major changes to the existing infrastructure or equipment, and they can be maintained with minimal costs and efforts.

If you are interested in learning more about safety surfaces and in-ground lights for school crossings, you can contact us via our contact page or telephoning 1300 961 678.

Safer school crossings are important for the safety and well-being of our children, their carers and crossing supervisors. By using yellow surfaces, high friction surfaces and in-ground lights, we can make them safer and more noticeable for everyone.

Notes:

  1. OmniGrip CST for yellow surfaces, and OmniGrip HF for high friction surfaces, are each TIPES Level 3 Certified in Queensland. When applied by OmniGrip CST they meet the quality and durability requirements of the Department of Transport and Main Roads TIPES Certification process, which includes proof of their ability to remain in specification for at least five years.
  2. OmniGrip HF is now available incorporating Australian post-consumer recycled-glass, as a result of grant funding from Sustainability Victoria and research by the Australian Road Research Board.