In an Australian-first, a trial of two new smart school zone signs at Wallsend will evaluate cutting-edge technology designed to improve safety for children and families travelling through busy school zones.
The two signs installed at Wallsend South Public School feature radar, pedestrian sensors and artificial intelligence, and have been installed along Croudace Road and McCaffrey Drive.
The next-generation signs are solar-powered and internet-connected, and display dynamic messages based on real-time traffic and pedestrian activity. If a vehicle is detected exceeding the 40 km/h school zone speed limit, the sign will display a ‘SLOW DOWN’ alert. The signs will also respond when high numbers of pedestrians are detected and can display tailored messages outside of school zone hours.
“As sign technologies get smarter it opens opportunities to make our school zones safer,” said Minister for Roads, Jenny Aitchison.
“It’s around 25 years since the then Labor Government launched the original flashing alert signs at high-risk school zones here in NSW.
“They’ve served us well as a valuable high-visibility reminder to slow down and take extra care during those busy hours at the start and end of the school day, and this trial, funded by the Minns Labor Government takes it one step further.”
The trial has been supported by an $83,500 investment from the Small Business Innovation & Research (SBIR) Program, administered by the Office of the NSW Chief Scientist and Engineer. The signs were developed by local Hunter manufacturer HIVIS.
The Wallsend South Public School has been chosen as the trial site for its high volumes of vehicle and pedestrian traffic on school days, its location close to the base of development and delivery partner HIVIS Group and the site having 4G connectivity and good solar access.
All information collected from the signs, including traffic volumes, vehicle speeds, and pedestrian data, will be securely sent to a central system for analysis. This will help assess how well the alerts influence driver behaviour and reduce speeds in school zones.
“We’re always looking for ways to not just maintain but also enhance and make better the safety infrastructure we have across our network,” said Transport for NSW Executive Director of Operational Technology, JP Ahern.
“We don’t want drivers to become complacent about school zone safety – after more than 20 years it’s time to start upgrading our signs – we’re using the opportunity to take them to the next level with real-time alerts.
“We are not using these signs for compliance, and they will not capture or store any images of people or vehicles. It’s all about awareness, education and safety.
“A big benefit will be the ability to gather data to compare vehicle and pedestrian numbers. Eventually we’ll be able to gather this across multiple school zones, and it will help us understand what type of alerts work the best to get motorists to slow down and also which zones may benefit from additional safety treatments.”
