After a spate of near misses and a low-speed collision between a student and car earlier this year, the school is set to get flashing LED school zone signs before July next year.
An application for two manned school crossings is also in the pipeline for Main Street, which is used by more than 800 cars an hour during peak times when more than 1000 students are going to and from the school.
In April, now retired principal Bill Mann called for speed limits below 40km/h and said a serious accident was inevitable unless measures were taken to slow down traffic outside the school.
Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE
Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.
READ NOWMany motorists claimed that students had a disregard for road rules and simply expected cars to stop.
ESC principal Bev Day said the college was unique in its proximity to a major thoroughfare. ‘Most schools are set much further back with their buildings or geographic location from main roads,’ she said.
‘Even if other schools are on a main road, for example Morley Senior High School, it’s generally only one main road and by the time students get to it their numbers are starting to dilute.
‘Our buildings and exit are right on the main road, and we’re a very large school, so we have a condensed number of students leaving at the same time.
‘A majority of our students leave from the front unless they live in The Bridges. I think both (the flashing lights and children’s crossing) together will help make the road safer and also hopefully encourage drivers to use other roadways rather than use the school road during peak times, other than those picking up their children.’
ESC is one of 73 WA schools to get flashing LED 40km/h signs in 2014-15. By 2017, all WA schools will have the flashing signs.
Road Safety Minister Liza Harvey said the flashing signs were a high-profile reminder for motorists to slow down around children.
‘The community now has no excuse for not slowing down when travelling through a school zone,’ she said. ‘Children are our most vulnerable road users and it is the responsibility of every road user to take care and slow down near schools.’