Rural Women New Zealand says a six months trial in Ashburton to get motorists to slow when going past stationary school buses has been only moderately successful.
About 25 children have died in the past 25 years, as they got off their school bus and were hit by a passing motorist - many of them on rural roads.
Rural Women spokesperson Jackie Edkins said most drivers are unaware that it is the law that motorists passing a stationary school bus, in either direction can go a maximum 20km per hour.
The Ashburton trial of bright, flashing lights installed on 30 buses slowed drivers on average from 80km per hour to 40km per hour.
The Transport Agency will start assessing the results of the Ashburton trial in June, but as yet there is no official word on where funding would come from for the signs, if they are approved.
Ms Edkins says rural communities themselves may have to fundraise for the $2000 per bus required.
But she hopes that eventually the price might be built into the tender process of bus companies when they bid for the contract to supply a school bus service.
