He said: “During a recent assembly debate it was discussed how we can help to avoid several accidents by examining several options including reducing speeds outside schools and changing signage.

“My job as an Assemblyman is to help change and introduce new legislation to help create a safer situation for children around their school, therefore it is important that the legislation is changed in a way that will educate the public and have them on board or the initative will never take off.

“The main point of concern is a pedestrian’s chance of survival on impact with a vehicle, research has shown that a pedestrian hit struck by a vehicle traveling at 20mph has a 1 in 40 chance of being killed or a 97% chance of survival- that is 17% greater chance of survival than if the vehicle were traveling at 30mph and 90 % of those struck at 40mph will ultimately die.

“These figures signify how important a change in the legislation could potentially be, and not to forget this only includes urban areas. Many rural schools have a speed limit of 60mph and this will virtually eliminate a person’s particularly a child’s chance of survival if struck by a vehicle.”

He added: “The change of road signage needs to emerge, as the existing school warning signage has become less effective and is not elaborate enough to warn motorists as some of them have become overgrown in hedges over the years. I feel that the implementation of Vehicle activated signage will greatly help, particularly in the rural areas together with a decrease in the speed limits as an extra prevention measure.

“With 112 people being killed on our roads last year, that’s more than 2 per week I think now is the time for us to act in addressing and reducing these tragedies.

“Variable speed limit pilot schemes are already underway at two primary schools in the North Coast area and are engineered to be in effect during term times but the speed limit of 60mph will be in effect during school holidays, and at weekends.

“Such forementioned motions have been executed efficiently in many cities and towns across GB, the results have been fantastic to date with Edinburgh for example recording 36 less child pedestrian casulties in a single year after implementing a 20mph school zone.”

Mr Clarke concluded: “With employing these preventative measures we can great reduce the chance of road deaths right throughout the province, I am particularly aware of this as my local primary school has vehicles passing it sometimes in the region of 70mph as it is situated on a long straight stretch of road.

“Even for the motorist not breaking the speed limit and perhaps unaware of the local vicinity they could cause potentially devastating injuries particularly on smaller, country roads were perhaps the school is hidden by a curve on the road.”