During the start and end times of school sessions, there are usually heavy traffic in the vicinity of schools. As children are vulnerable road users with limited experience using the roads, it is of paramount concern to keep school zones safe.

The safety of school zones requires the joint effort of authorities, schools, parents, motorists and the community. It is everyone's responsibility to ensure that children are safe when using the roads near their schools.

Prominent school zone signs are installed at school zones to inform motorists that they are entering a school zone and should drive carefully.

Other traffic measures may be installed in school zones to enhance safety. These include:

• Traffic calming measures such as road humps and speed regulating strips
• Raised road surface at pedestrian crossing/signalised at-grade crossing
• Parking restrictions
• Railings along the road centre to deter jaywalking

A school zone with more visible features gets the attention of motorists and reminds them to drive more carefully.

The Enhanced School Zone scheme was introduced to increase the visibility of school zones through the following ways:

• Parts of the road surface near the school gate are covered with a red texture to catch drivers' attention and alert them to look out for children crossing the road.
• Bigger traffic signs with yellow backing to indicate the start and end of school zones.

The Enhanced School Zone are implemented at primary schools, and special schools, subject to factors such as the road geometry and the type of road outside the schools.

The community plays an important role to keep school zones safe. The Safe Drive Zone scheme is an example that involves schools, parents and community development councils.

Under this scheme, volunteers, including parents and residents, serve as community wardens to guide children across the road safely outside their schools.

Community wardens also advise motorists to drive with greater care in the school zone and to park their vehicles at designated areas.

If you would like to volunteer as a community warden at a school, please contact the school's management for more information.