This headline in my local paper, the Press yesterday caught my eye: "Report reveals laxity of NZ law". In the future I don't want to be reading that a report reveals a 'lack of NZ law'! A law that would be so easy to introduce, yet the Government obviously loves playing Russian Roulette with our children's lives.

Surely the Government is finally realising that recommended safety standards are not a game?! We have had enquiries into the earthquake deaths and now the mine deaths, all avoidable if only they had taken heed of international practices and recommendations.

Here is a recommendation that they have avoided for many years: "The World Health Organisation recommends speed limits of 20km/h or 30km/h outside all schools". Yet here we have roads outside schools that have a legal speed limit of 100km/h!

Just over a week ago, a child was killed outside a school in Porirua in a 50km/h zone. Surely this is enough for someone to look into road safety outside schools?! Do we need more innocent children to die, before anything is done?

International Best Practise is to slow speeds outside schools. Our neighbours in New South Wales have introduced 40km/h outside all schools and we should go one better and introduce the recommended speed limit of a maximum of 30km/h during busy times outside all schools.

It’s easily achieved by lowering speed limits in all school zones to no more than 70km/h at all times, narrowing roads and marking the road surface at the entrance of the school zone with a colour that alerts drivers of the school area. The school zone signs are already in place and many schools already have the flashing lights. These just need to now be changed to a safe speed limit. Drivers will appreciate a consistent speed limit and the country won't come to a halt, just because these speed limits have been introduced.

Prime Minister John Key needs to stop messing with the education system and our teachers — all of whom have a great reputation — and put the money into road safety for our school children instead. Come on John Key, stop boosting egos at the Ministry of Education, otherwise you will have more politicians resigning over yet another tragedy.

Children behave unpredictably, especially when they are distracted by friends or family, as they are entering or leaving the school. Get them across the road safely while they are at their most distracted and then children can settle into the normal road rules.

This is my message to John Key: "Take away the money you have earmarked for yet another reform of the education system and concentrate on getting those kids to and from school safely. Once you have achieved that, you can actually look at improving children's education.

Stop playing Russian Roulette with our children's lives!"

Kids have to come and go, get on and off buses in what are highly dangerous 'lawless school zones'. Give Associate Minister of Transport Simon Bridges the means to introduce a law that protects children when they are at their most vulnerable.

Follow recommendations of the World Health Organisation and Best International Practice and introduce a consistent National Speed Limit of 30km/h outside all schools during busy times.

And get on with it, before there is another tragedy!!!! ENDS

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