By CAMERON LUCADOU-WELLS
A GREATER Dandenong councillor wants lower speed limits on a high-casualty stretch of the Princes Highway where a student was fatally struck by a car outside Dandenong High School last month.
At a council meeting last Monday, Cr Jim Memeti asked for talks with VicRoads on how to make safer the highway section between Jones Road and Clow Street.
On March 6, 13-year-old Shaye Kosky was fatally injured when struck by a car in an 80km/h zone at the James Street intersection. About 100 metres further east, the highway’s speed limit drops to 60km/h.
There is no ‘school zone’ signage requiring motorists to slow down during school drop-off and pick-up times, although there is a 40km/h service lane between the highway and the school.
VicRoads statistics show there have been 20 ‘casualty accidents’ near the intersection in the five years up to June 30 last year. Eight of those incidents were ‘high-severity’ but no fatalities.
A few hundred metres away, a 30-year-old father, Hamedjan Hussaini, was killed when his car was struck by an allegedly drag-racing car in 2011. Mr Hussaini was pulling out from Henty Street onto the highway.
Last year, Shyam Jayasinghe, 28, was jailed for three years, with a non-parole period of 18 months, for dangerous driving causing death over the incident. He had allegedly sped up to 110km/h in a 60 zone.
Cr Memeti said he had feedback on a number of serious crashes — some unreported to police — on the highway section, which includes a skate park, playground and high school.
“It’s a dangerous intersection at Dandenong High School. It should be set as a school zone,” Cr Memeti said.
“I’d like to see a speed limit of 40 during 8-9am and 3-4pm, flashing lights to tell drivers to slow down and the pedestrian crossing more visible for cars.”
VicRoads metro south-east regional director Peter Todd said the request would be reviewed once it had completed a “significant update” to its speed zoning guidelines.
The guidelines were expected to be completed by June 30. “VicRoads will be reassessing and consolidating the guidelines regarding speed zones where there are high numbers of pedestrians,” Mr Todd said.
“This will provide a clear and consistent approach across metropolitan and rural Victoria for speed zones and reduce the risk of pedestrian crashes.”
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